Our Saddest Hunger Games
by Reedstorm17
Summary: The 83rd Hunger Games. Amber, Kembrith, and Kailey are the kids of the Jones family in District 12. This is the first year that they can all be reaped, and the odds aren't exactly in their favor...
1. Chapter 1- Amber, Kembrith, and Kailey

**Hi, just giving everyone a mental picture of the main characters**

**Amber Jones**

**Age: 15**

**Hair color: blond**

**Eye color: green**

**Height: 5' 5"**

**Kembrith Jones**

**Age: 13**

**Hair color: brown**

**Eye color: brown**

**Height: 4' 11"**

**Kailey Jones**

**Age: 12**

**Hair color: brown**

**Eye color: green**

**Height: 4' 7"**

**...**

**In order to keep the story going, you have to review.**

**I need arena ideas. I'm out, after my awesome one for the 100th hunger games.**

**Also, I need tributes! I've got 21 spaces left. I need first and last name, age, and district.**


	2. Chapter 2- Kembrith

"Hey, Brith!"

Teeth gritted, I scramble onto a low roof, then stand, blocking my schoolmate Tyler's way.

My name's Kembrith, by the way. Not Brith. Tyler just calls me that to annoy me.

"My name's Kembrith! You know that very well!" I shout down.

Tyler is about a head taller than me. He easily grabs the roof's edge. I push his hands off.

I'm really not afraid of a lot of things. I'm probably one of the bravest kids in District 12.

Tyler stops trying to climb up . He's too scared to.

I run along the roof, then jump to another. Tyler runs along on the ground.

I'm not afraid of anything until it comes to the hunger games. I'm not afraid of going in. I'd do fine. But my sister Kailey just turned twelve, and my sister Amber is fifteen. I'm thirteen.

Tyler's also thirteen, but a few months older.

My family's pretty poor. We all need to tske tesserae, which unfortunately means extra slips in the reaping.

This year is the 83rd hunger games. Tomorrow is the reaping.

I've been running on roofs since I was seven. Once I took Amber. It frightened her so much. She refused to do it again.

Another time I took Kailey. She was a little scared, but enjoyed it. I took her a few more times. Then last year she tried it herself and that didn't turn out well.

I've reached the end of the roof. The next one is about four feet away.

Tyler stands between them. I'm only about six feet off the ground. I jump across.

Tyler reaches up and blocks me.

I grab the edge of the roof and drop to the ground.

"What did you do that for?" I yell. "That could have seriously hurt me!"

Tyler shrugs. "You're just worrying . I thought you were fearless." he sneers.

"You just wait until Annabelle's twelve."

Annabelle's his sister. She's only eight.

"Whatever, Brith."

Tyler chases me down the street until I reach the house where my best friend, Golberg, lives.

I knock rapidly on the door. Golberg opens it quickly.

"Running from Tyler again?"

I nod, out of breath.

Golberg just turned fourteen a few weeks ago. He has no siblings.

Tyler pounds on the door.

Golberg locks it. "Go away, Tyler!" he shouts out.

We wait for about a half hour before Tyler finally leaves.

"Going to the Justice Building later?" Golberg asks.

"Yes. Twelve slips this year."

Golberg nods. "Same."

I walk home quickly. My mother opens the door for me.

"No trouble?"

I shrug. "Not unless you count Tyler chasing me."

Mom sighs. "That boy can be trouble sometimes."

Our parents has us at a young age. My mother's thirty, and my father's thirty-two.

Amber comes into the kitchen. "Ready?"

I sit down in a chair. "Just a minute."

...

**Hi. Remember, I'm not going to update until I get at least one review.**

**21 spaces left. The spaces taken are the District 12 tributes (who shall remain anonymous until the reaping), and the girl from 1.**

**I cannot guarantee that you tribute will get far. **

**I know a lot of people skip to the games. (Caught you! Don't worry, I do it myself sometimes) I know I can't stop you, but I'm going to suggest you not skip ahead because otherwise the title is useless.**


	3. Chapter 3- Amber

I open the front door and hold it for Kembrith and Kailey before following them out.

Kailey holds my hand. Kembrith walks energetically beside me. As we walk by our neighbors' house, Kembrith goes over to it. He reaches up and grabs the windowsill, then climbs up. Moving along the window sill, he grabs the one above it.

I groan. "Kembrith, please. Now isn't the time for roof jumping.

"Sorry." Kembrith climbs down.

He once made me try it. It was a few days after my tenth birthday. He had been running on roofs for a few months. I hated being so high. When Kembrith jumped to another roof and told me to follow him, I refused.

_"No way." I said. "I'm not doing that."_

_"Come on! It's easy! And you're taller than I am." He added._

_I jumped, and it left me scrabbling at the roof. Kembrith had to pull me up._

_"I want to get down," I whimpered._

I never did it again.

Kembrith nudges me. "Stop daydreaming."

"I'm not daydreaming. I'm remembering how you forced me to run on the roofs."

Kembrith laughs.

"Look! It's Katniss Everdeen." Kailey interrupts us. "What's she doing out here? Shouldn't she be happily in her house at Victors' Village?" she adds bitterly.

"Calm down, Kailey. She's nice." I reassure her.

Katniss approaches us. She holds a dead squirrel upside-down. My stomach grumbles.

"Hungry?" she asks.

"Oh, yes." Kembrith says before I can stop him. "I hardly eat a thing."

Katniss nods sympathetically. "I was like that once. Here, take the squirrel."

My jaw drops. "Seriously?"

"Why do you think I hunt when I have all the food I need?"

"Um...thanks..." I stammer.

Katniss waves and walks away.

"You're right, Amber! She's so nice! I can't believe she gave us this whole squirrel!" Kailey squeals.

"It's not much, but it'll feed us tonight." Kembrith agrees.

I nod in agreement. "All right, let's get to the Justice Building."

"We'd get there faster by rooftop," Kembrith mumbles.

"Too risky. Come on."

We walk inside the Justice Building and go to the tesserae office.

Only two people are there, besides the peacekeeper sitting at her computer behind the desk.

It's Carson, my boyfriend, with his seventeen-year-old sister.

"I've got twenty slips," he groans. "Dillah's probably got more."

The peacekeeper slides a note across the desk and Dillah takes it.

"Thirty slips." She says.

Dillah groans. "Come on, Carson."

Carson flashes me a quick glance before following Dillah out the door.

I'm slightly embarrassed when the peacekeeper looks at me, holding the squirrel that Katniss gave us by the tail.

"Um...yes." I pass the squirrel to Kembrith.

"I don't want to hold it!" Kembrith complains.

I step up to the desk. "I'd like to take out tesserae."

_No I wouldn't, but I don't have any other option._

"Name please."

"Amber Jones."

The peacekeeper types on her computer, studies the screen, and presses buttons on her calculator. She nods at it, then slides a tesserae note across the desk. I take it calmly.

"Twenty-four slips."

Could be worse.

"Next!"

Kembrith confidently steps forward. "Kembrith Jones."

The peacekeeper doesn't types on her calculator. "Twelve slips."

Kembrith comes over.

Kailey trembles slightly but keeps a calm face.

The peacekeeper smiles at her. They're always nice to twelve-year-olds taking out tesserae.

"Your name, sweetie?"

"Kailey Jones." Kailey tells her in a small voice.

The lady types out another calculation.

"Six slips."

Lucky.

We cross the hall and another peacekeeper gives us our monthly supply.

Kembrith gives me back the squirrel. "Your turn."

Dad opens the door for us. "Are the odds in your favor?"

"Not really."

"Too bad,"

We feast on the squirrel, each getting a fifth of it and a small piece of bread.

Then we go to the only bedroom in our house.

Twenty-four slips.

...

**No more chapters until someone sends in a tribute!**

**20 spaces available.**


	4. Chapter 4- Kailey

Reaping day. Everyone's always gloomy. I've known it since I was little.

I get dressed quickly. I put on a purple velvet dress. It's my favorite.

Once I'm finished getting dressed, I go around the house cheering everyone up.

My mother sits down in a chair once she's ready.

Amber is struggling with her dress. It's green and white and fluffy.

"Let me help you with that."

Amber stops struggling for a moment.

"See, the sleeve is inside out. Let me get it out."

Amber waits patiently.

Once I get out the sleeve she pulls on the dress fully.

Kembrith finishes just then.

My father stands up. "Finished."

"Dad, you forgot a belt loop!" I giggle.

"What?" Dad looks down. "Oh!"

I laugh.

Mom prepares breakfast. "Breakfast" turns out to be a very small piece of bread for each of us and two apples to share.

It's better than nothing.

Now that I'm not cheering everyone up, I get nervous. The odds aren't in our favor.

I stare at my bread slice. Amber nibbles at hers. Only Kembrith starts eating.

"Come on, you two." Dad urges us.

I eat the bread, then take part of an apple.

Usually by now Kembrith would leave for roof jumping.

When I was eight, he let me come with him. It was fun, but also scary.

I remember last year when I tried to do it myself. It was fun at first, but then I slipped on the Radshills' roof. I ended up scratching at the roof for at least a half hour before finally losing my grip. Luckily, I only ended up with a sprained ankle.

Kembrith took the blame.

Before I know it, it's time to leave for the reaping.

_It's okay. You're only in six times. _I tell myself repeatedly.

I finally stop thinking about it.

...

**Review, review, review! I need more tributes! **


	5. Chapter 5- Kembrith

We reach the square after about fifteen minutes.

Golberg is standing at the table. He waves.

I wave back.

I feel someone poke my back.

"May the odds be _ever_ in your favor _Brith_."

I roll my eyes.

We pass by the table.

Amber flinches as they prick her.

"Kembrith Jones." I say as they turn to me. I hold out my arm and watch them insert the needle, then throw my finger to the paper.

I wait for Kailey.

Once she's finished, we split up and go to our sections.

I walk to where the thirteen-year-olds are. I end up standing next to a girl from school. Her name's Mirlu.

Effie Trinket walks onto the stage. "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be _ever_ in your favor!"

"Don't you think she's a bit old?" Mirlu whispers jokingly. "She's been our escort as long as I can remember."

I laugh silently.

I watch the video and shudder. I've seen it for years, but still...

Effie turns off the screen and crosses the stage to the Reaping balls.

"Ladies first!"

Biting my lip, I watch carefully. Effie throws her hand in and snatches out a paper. I stare at her fingernails. So long.

Effie opens the paper and calls out the name in a loud clear voice.

"Amber Jones!"

My heart freezes. My breaths stop. I can't think straight. I may as well be dead at this moment.

Everything starts up again, and I know this is real.

There's nothing I can do.

I hear a shuffling in the section to my left. Someone pushing their way to the front.

"I volunteer!" The girl wails.

Air leaves me in a strangled gasp.

_Kailey!_


	6. Chapter 6- Amber

Kailey pushes her way to the front of the twelve-year-old section.

_No! She can't! She can't volunteer!_

"Kailey!" I scream.

Kailey stops. "I'm sorry Amber. I couldn't let them take you."

I try to run forward, but a peacekeeper holds me back. A sob escapes my lips and then I'm crying full on. The peacekeeper leads me to my parents.

I'd rather go into the Hunger Games a thousand times and die painfully in every one of them, rather than have Kailey volunteer to go in my place.

Effie shakes Kailey's hand.

"A volunteer! We get very few! What's your name?" Effie asks.

"Kailey Jones," Kailey says in a shaky voice.

"Wonderful!" Effie goes over to the boy's reaping ball, and suddenly I hate her. Why did she have to reap me?

Effie reaches in and grabs a paper.

It can't be Kembrith. Not now that Kailey's going.

"Tyler Millisbrynk!"

Tyler walks to the stage. His face pale, he mounts the steps.

The kid who's always causing trouble with my brother.

Somewhere behind me, I hear a loud shriek that I take to be Annabelle Millisbrynk's.

Kailey and Tyler mount the steps to the Justice Building. I start crying again and now I really can't stop.

Kailey and Tyler shake hands and the peacekeepers lead them into the Justice building.

The crowd thins out. I see the Millisbrynks carrying Annabelle to the Justice building.

My parents support me between them. Kembrith pushes his way through a mix of twelve and thirteen year olds. He's not crying yet. He's just shocked.

"What she did was brave," he says quietly. "Braver than anything I ever did."

I am crying too hard to respond.

The peacekeepers stand aside to let us pass.

Kailey sits in a chair, staring at the ground. She looks up as we come in.

"I did it for you, Amber." she whispers, wrapping her arms around me.

I embrace her harder than I ever did before.

"You're brave, Kailey." Kembrith tells her softly. "Remember our roof jumping, okay?"

Kailey laughs through her tears. "Okay."

As Mom and Dad start their good-byes, I notice Kembrith walking over to where Tyler is talking to his family. Curious, I follow him.

Tyler looks up.

"Kembrith... I'm sorry."

Kembrith nods. "I'm also sorry."

"You did nothing wrong. Listen, I won't kill her." Tyler promises.

Relieved that at least one tributes isn't going after my sister, I walk back over to my parents and Kailey.

"One minute." A peacekeeper tells Tyler's family.

Kembrith comes back over.

The peacekeeper comes to us and hesitates. Probably taking pity because she's twelve.

"I'll give you two minutes. You came in after them."

Mom nods at the peacekeeper. "Thank you."

I lean down beside Kailey. "I love you so much. Just remember that."

Kailey leans on my shoulder.

"If...if I don't make it..." Kailey doesn't finish what she says.

"I won't forget you, I promise. I will live a long life because of you."

"Time's up." The peacekeeper tells us.

...

**17 spaces remaining. Review, review, review!**


	7. Chapter 7- Kailey

Three peacekeepers start guiding me and Tyler to the train.

"Bye!" I yell over my shoulder, getting a final glance at my family.

I pull away from the peacekeepers. "I can walk myself!"

I'm still trying to comprehend what just happened in the last hour. We came to the reaping and Amber was reaped. I couldn't imagine life without her. I volunteered.

Should I have done that? Amber did stand a better chance.

I shake off the thought. "Tyler, Kembrith said that you said you wouldn't go after me. Is... is that true?"

This is the kid who is always causing Kembrith trouble. Should I really trust that?

"Yes."

I try to figure out what to say. "Um... thanks... I won't kill you either."

Tyler nods.

I mount the train before the peacekeepers can push me.

As the train pulls out, I watch District 12 disappear behind me. What's happening now? Is my family home yet?

Probably walking home. Without me.

Will I ever return to them?

"Kailey,"

I recognize the voice as Katniss's.

I turn to her.

"I'm going to be your mentor." she explains. "I was a volunteer, too."

"You were?"

"Yes. My sister Prim was reaped."

"How old was she?" I ask curiously.

"She was twelve, like you. She's twenty-one now. I was sixteen."

So she volunteered for a sister too. And she won.

"Are you hungry?" she asks.

I shrug my shoulders. "A little, I guess."

"We'll be eating in an hour."

"Okay."

In the hour before dinner I think about roof running with Kembrith.

When I see the table I almost pass out. I've never seen so much food on a table.

"Eat all you want." The male mentor- I think his name's Haymitch- says.

I fill my plate and dig in. Tyler eats more slowly.

"We'll arrive at the Training Center sometime tomorrow. For now, get some sleep." Katniss advises.

I get up and go to a room. I take off the velvet dress, then realize I don't want to leave it behind. After changing into a new outfit, I cut out a small piece and put it in my pocket.

...

**Spaces are filling quickly!**

**I still need arena ideas! Please give me a few!**

**Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8- Kembrith

I can't remember a time without Kailey.

Yes, I'm older than her. But only by a year. I can't remember anything from my first year.

Amber is hysterical. She won't stop crying.

"Why did she have to volunteer?" Amber wails. "Kembrith, why?"

"Amber, calm down. Please." I've managed to hold back my tears this long. But with Amber crying non-stop, I don't think I can hold off much longer.

Mom and Dad bring in four chairs from the kitchen. Dad turns on the TV and we sit in the chairs.

President Snow is speaking. "Welcome everyone. The 83rd Hunger Games are soon to happen! Today we held the reapings. Now it is time to show them.

The screen switches to District 1. I watch as a fifteen-year old is called to the stage. She looks strong. She must have been training.

Amber groans. I miss the boy being reaped.

District 2 comes on.

A career for the girl. Too bad.

A young twelve-year-old is reaped. It looks as though there are no boy careers. The boy has to go. I feel bad for him.

District 3 brings a strong career and a kid my age.

District 4 has another career.

Career districts are over.

I turn away from the reapings. I don't watch ours. The tears I've been holding back all day finally escape.

...

**12 spaces remaining!**

**Available spaces are boy from 1, boy from 4, boy from 5, both from 6, boy from 7, boy from 8, both from 9, both from 10, and boy from 11.**


	9. Chapter 9- Amber

"Why don't you do something to keep your mind off the Hunger Games?" Mom suggests.

"I don't want to do anything, Mom," I mutter.

"Come on, Amber. Even your brother's distracting himself. He's running on roofs with Golberg."

"Really? He should really stop doing that."

"Please, Amber. You're making it worse."

"Fine!" I snap. I get to my feet and storm out the front door.

I stand outside, for a few minutes. I don't actually have a plan. In the distance I see Kembrith preparing to jump to another roof, with Golberg close behind him.

With a sigh, I walk in front of the houses. I have school tomorrow. It seems like last Thursday was so long ago. We didn't have school Friday. I didn't know then that it was most likely my last day to see Kailey.

I think of Kailey in the Training Center. What if she ends up on everyone's kill list?

I start crying hard but don't stop walking.

When I reach Carson's house I knock on the door. I don't want him to see me like this, but do I really have a choice?

Dillah opens the door. She sees me and yells over her shoulder, "Carson!" Then she turns back to me.

"I'm sorry."

I nod, because what else can I do?

Carson comes up behind his sister. Dillah leaves the room.

Carson walks outside and closes the door behind us.

I sit down on the step and wipe my face. I must look terrible.

Carson puts his arm around me and I burst into tears. Right when I thought I was finished.

Carson points up at the roof. "Is that your brother standing on my roof?"

I laugh through my tears. "Probably."

Kembrith and Golberg climb down the roof and come to join us.

Kembrith sits beside me, burying his face into my leg. I don't push him away.

"The Games won't start for at least another week." Golberg says. "Kailey's fine."

"She won't be when the Games start," I whimper. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have taken tesserae. I shouldn't have let her volunteer. I shouldn't have-"

"Sh!" Carson puts his hand over my mouth. "Stop blaming yourself."

"You just don't want to admit that it's my fault." I sob.

Carson groans and looks at Kembrith. "Will you calm her down?"

"You think I haven't tried?" Kembrith asks.

Carson shrugs. "I just don't want to see her like this."

I suddenly realize that it is starting to get dark. Perfect excuse to go home.

"Our parents will get worried if we're not back soon." I stand up and wipe away my tears. "Come on, Kembrith."

Kembrith doesn't complain. He walks beside me on the way home and doesn't climb on any roofs.

...

**12 spaces remaining! Hurry, hurry, hurry! They fill up fast! **

**Please try to send in boy tributes. I can't take district preferences anymore. There are too little spaces left that I have to squeeze them in where I can.**


	10. Chapter 10- Kailey

I sit down at the table in our room at the Training Center. Tyler is talking to Haymitch. Katniss sits across from me.

"Ready for some mentor advice?" Katniss asks with a smile.

"Yes." I nod.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Katniss glances at Haymitch. "All he says is stay alive."

I giggle.

"My advice is know who to trust and stay away from the Cornucopia."

"Stay away from the Cornucopia?" I ask, surprised.

Katniss nods. "The careers will kill you if you go in too far. And I hear there are six careers this year." she shudders.

"How wi I get anything if J don't go to the Cornucopia?" I ask.

"Oh, don't worry. Not everything is right in the Cornucopia. There will be things outside it. Just grab a few things and run." she pauses. "Besides, I think I heard there's something different about the Cornucopia this year. All the more reason to stay away from it."

"Katniss, you're not allowed to do that!" Haymitch calls.

"Do what? Stay away from the Cornucopia?"

"No! Tell the tributes what's in the arena."

"Oops," Katniss says, not sorry at all.

"Tributes, report to training." A voice calls over the loudspeaker.

"A good time to find your strength," Katniss tells me.

I get up and follow Tyler to the elevator.

The boy and girl from 7 are already in the elevator. The girl is a lot taller than me. We stay silent, knowing that they are our potential killers.

And we are theirs.

We go to the training room, where we find dummies and weapons and a caged-in room.

I shrug and go to the first vacant station.

To my left is the boy from 4. He is eighteen. A career. I should avoid him.

Turning my back on him, I find that to my right is the girl from 5. Three years older than me.

The girl turns to me and I shrink back.

Instead of taunting me, she introduces herself.

"Hi. I'm Abby from District 5."

She looks so much like Amber. Maybe I can trust her.

"Nice to meet you . I'm Kailey from District 12."

"You shouldn't be so friendly with each other. You're just going to have to kill each other." The career next to me growls.

Abby sticks her tongue out at him. "Pete. District 4. I met him in not the most presentable way."

I laugh. "Allies?"

Abby nods.

I really hope she's trustworthy. Otherwise, I've made a terrible mistake.

...

**What do you think? Is Abby trustworthy?**

**8 spaces left! Remember, no District preferences. Too little spaces.**

**3 girl spaces and 5 boy spaces.**

**Please review!**


	11. Chapter 11- Kembrith

Amber and I walk to school in silence. When we get there, we split up.

I walk in and my schoolmates part, letting me through. I hear echoes of people saying things like "I'm sorry." A few people pat me on the back.

I nod politely but keep my eyes on the floor.

I sit down in my first class.

"Hello, everyone." Mrs. Kilos says cheerily. "Hope you had a great weekend."

How can she say that?

Anger boils inside me but I turn away.

I don't pay attention.

I go to my next class, my annoyance gone. Sadness replaces it.

I sit down. Jake sits next to me. Another of my schoolmates. He's not really a friend.

Instead of participating, I think about Kailey. How long will she last?

It doesn't matter how long she lasts if she's going to die.

That's when I realize I'm crying.

"Mrs. Brunge," Jake raises his hand. Mrs. Brunge walks over.

I'm a little embarrassed that I'm crying in front of my classmates but I couldn't care less.

"Keep under control." Mrs. Brunge tells the class, leading me out into the hall.

After I calm down, she asks, "Would you like to go home?"

I shake my head. "I'm fine."

"Your sister went home about an hour ago."

I go back to class.

At lunch they bring up a screen. They're showing the tributes in the Training Center.

I see many tributes fighting dummies or pixilated tributes in a caged-in room.

Finally I see Kailey throwing a knife at a dummy. She misses, as does the girl next to her. They both laugh and try again. The boy on Kailey's other side looks at them with a disgusted look on his face.

When the school day is over I wait for most of the students to leave before grabbing my things and walking out of the building.

"Kembrith," someone behind me calls quietly.

Mirlu.

I turn. "Oh, hi Mirlu." I say quietly.

"I'm really sorry about your sister."

_Now what do I say? 'It's okay?' No I can't, because it's not._

I nod. "I guess I'd better get home."

"Where's Amber?" Mirlu asks.

"She went home early."

"I see." Mirlu nods. "See you tomorrow, Kembrith!"

I wave and climb onto a nearby roof.

...

**8 spaces, remember! 3 girls and 5 boys.**

**Please send in tributes. (Sorry, Mintysplash, but you've already sent in 9 tributes. I think that's my limit :()**


	12. Chapter 12- Amber

When Kembrith comes home from school, I am watching Kailey trying to master spear-throwing.

"I heard you left early."

"Well, yes, because all anyone talked about was the Hunger Games. I couldn't stand it. And then Mr. Taiger said. 'It looks like the odds were in everyone's favor since you're here today,' and that was it for me."

I am out of breath by the time I finish speaking.

The TV has turned to the young boy from District 2, who is fighting off pixilated tributes with a knife. There are three people waiting to get into the room.

Kembrith turns to go back outside.

"Where are you going?" I jump up.

"The roof."

"How can you even think about running on roofs?"

"The Games haven't even started yet, Amber!" Kembrith calls as he shuts the door.

I shrug and turn back to the TV. Training is ending. Kailey puts down the sword she was swinging at the dummy and runs after the other tributes out of the training room. The screen goes dark.

I turn off the TV.

Kembrith comes back in when our parents get home. Dad is carrying a dead rabbit.

"Nice of him to give this to us."

"Who?" I ask.

"Gale Hawthorne. We ran into him on the way home. He understands what we're going through." Mom answers.

I nod slowly. Gale's sister Posy was reaped last year.

We each get a small portion of rabbit to save some for tomorrow.

We get into our beds, which are all in one room. Kembrith gets in the bed to my left. I climb into the middle one. Kailey used to sleep here, too.

Will she ever come home?

...

**7 spaces remaining! 3 girls and 4 boys.**


	13. Chapter 13- Kailey

I wake up on the second day of training. It only takes a second to remember where I am.

Tyler is not awake yet, but Katniss and Haymitch are.

Haymitch says nothing, but Katniss looks up as I come in.

"Hello, Kailey. How'd you sleep?"

"Fine." I sit down. "When does training start?"

"In an hour."

When Tyler finally gets up, there are only five minutes until training. It's very funny as we watch him eat really fast.

"Tributes, report to the training room."

Tyler runs down the hall, and I scramble to catch up.

I never figured out what I was best at. I just tested everything. I'll try this out now.

I pick up a bow and load an arrow. I aim at the dummy in front of me and pull back.

I release the arrow and it hits the dummy's chest. I step back and release another arrow.

Off-center again.

Maybe a bow and arrows aren't best for me.

I put them away and grab a knife. I stand up close and throw it. Off-center.

I aim at the head this time. Right on.

Satisfied, I step back and throw two knives, one at the heart and one at the head. The knives clatter to the ground.

I guess I'm not so good at that either.

I take a spear this time and stand up close. I throw the spear and it hits the side of the dummy's head.

Too close.

I step back a few times and throw it again.

It hits the heart right on center.

I pick up the weapons and put them away. I'm ready for the caged-in room. I'll do it twice with a sword and a spear.

I grab a sword and stand in line behind the girl from 7. She twirls a knife in her hand and ignores me.

I wait patiently as she goes in and fights off pixilated tributes. She misses some.

Then it's my turn. I take out the sword and a pixilated tribute comes at me. It runs at me and disappears before I can do anything.

_Wait. What just happened?_

I'd better focus or the other tributes will see me as an easy target.

The next pixilated tribute appears, and this time I'm ready. It's little tall so I have to jump. I lift my feet and hit it with the sword. The tribute shatters into a hundred pieces and vanishes.

I stay alert the whole time. My score at the end is 11. 11 out of 15.

I grab a spear and wait in line again. I'll see what I'm best at. Maybe I should try with everything.

That's what I do.

With the spear I get 13 although that last one was about to vanish when I hit it so I don't know if I can really count that one.

With a knife I get 10. Not an easy one.

With an axe, which I find very hard to use, I hit 12 tributes. I'm okay with that one.

Last is a bow and arrows. I'm bad at loading quickly.

I hit the first one but with a few failed shots.

In the end, I hit 10 pixilated tributes. I told you I was terrible at that.

Training ends. My top priority is a spear, or an axe.

...

**What are you waiting for? Review! I still need tributes :)**


	14. Chapter 14- Kembrith

I toss and turn, dreams of falling off roofs filling my mind. Finally I realized I've fallen into the Hunger Games, and Kailey is standing before me with a knife. Then and arrow pierces her neck and a cannon fires.

I jolt awake, sweaty and whimpering.

"Do I have to go to school?" Amber whines.

"Yes." Mom sounds exasperated. "Please try to stay until at least lunchtime."

"But all anyone talks about is-"

"Please, Amber. Don't make this worse."

I get up. I am ready for school about ten minutes early. I sit down in a chair and wait for Amber.

Finally Amber is ready. She walks slowly.

"Come on. We're going to be late if you keep up this pace."

Amber stops. "Do you even care about anything?" she yells.

I back away, eyes wide.

"You want to go to school, even with all that's happening. Does it even matter to you that Kailey is probably going to _die_?"

I turn away and keep walking, my eyes burning.

"Why aren't you answering?" Amber demands, grabbing my shoulders.

I push her hands away.

"You stay a full school day, and then when you get back you _run on roofs,_ risking your life instead of watching to see how Kailey's doing."

I close my eyes, which only makes my tears flow faster.

Amber turns around and runs back home.

I walk a little longer, then collapse onto the sidewalk.

How can Amber be so rude? How can she accuse me of not caring? Of course I care! I'm just as scared as she is. Kailey is one of the youngest tributes. She hardly stands a chance.

I'm too stung by Amber's words to go to school. I don't even realize I'm climbing a nearby house until I run out of windows and I'm on the roof.

I sit on the roof and feel the wind on my back. I think about all my troubles.

I'm very poor. I'm always hungry. I only have one good friend. Everyone else are just other people. Kailey is going into a game where she fights other teens until she dies. She will die. She's only twelve. Everyone else is older and bigger, except for that unfortunate kid from District 2. Amber isn't the same anymore. She refuses to go to school and she accuses me of not caring about any of this.

By the time I finish going through that, my cheeks are soaked through with tears. I wipe my eyes.

Then I suddenly understand Amber. She was the one that was reaped. Kailey volunteered to take her place, even though Amber stands a better chance. Amber thinks it's her fault.

After another hour of staring at the sky, I climb down the roof and walk home.

...

**Last chance to submit tributes! You have until the next chapter. **


	15. Chapter 15- Amber

_"I'm sorry, Amber. I couldn't let them take you."_

I wake up with Kailey's words in my head. In just three days, she will be in the arena.

I stumble from my bed. It's Thursday. I managed to stay at school all day yesterday. I will today, too.

Kembrith is ready first and waits patiently.

We walk at a quick pace. When we're almost there, I stop.

"Kembrith... I'm sorry for what I said the other day."

"It's...It's okay. I understand."

I walk slowly to my first class. My classmates have stopped giving me so much attention, and I'm grateful for that.

The first class is quite boring, and I think about Kailey the whole time.

When class ends, I get up and walk to my next class. We play a review game.

"Okay." Mr. Taiger announces. "Team A will be Harris, Carson, Fillia, and Jane."

I watch them gather into their group.

"Team B will be AJ, Derrick, Amber, and Tia."

I gather into my group.

The game distracts me from Kailey. When we get to the last question, the teams are tied.

"Final question. Calm down, everyone. Ready? Okay."

He gives us a very complicated question. After silence, everyone starts talking at once.

Tia says something I don't catch. AJ and Derrick start talking at the same time.

"Stop, stop." I interrupt. "One at a time."

Team A wins, but it was still fun.

...

After school I go home and turn on the TV. The Training Center doesn't show for another half hour.

We all sit in front of the TV. Tonight we will see the chariot rides.

The chariots start to come. I watch district after district until I finally see Kailey, standing next to Tyler. Her costume looks great.

She seems to be having a good time, smiling and waving and secretly laughing at everyone else's costumes.

I'm scared for her.

...

**Spaces are filled. The Games are going to start soon, so keep an eye out for more chapters.**


	16. Chapter 16- Kailey

Private sessions. The day that everyone will find out if I'm weak or strong. And I will find what I'm up against.

I sit still next to Tyler as each tribute is called in. As the girl from District 12, I am the last to go.

I think about my family back at home. I hope they are okay.

I fall into such deep thought that it's almost as if I'm sleeping. What jolts me out of it is Tyler's name being called.

I swing my feet, wondering what I'll do. Finally coming up with distraction, I am ready.

Tyler leaves, and I am called in. I grab a knife and a sword. Once I know the Gamemakers are watching me, I raise the knife and throw it at a curve, purposely missing the "tribute" and making it land behind them. Then I run forward and slash the sword across the dummy's chest.

The Gamemakers don't seem to notice what the point of that was.

"It's called distraction." I say in matter-of-fact voice.

I repeat what I did, this time using an axe instead of a sword. Then I use a spear.

Finally I am told to leave. I am led through a now-empty hallway to the elevator.

I fear what my score will be.

...

**Sorry for such a short chapter. You'll find out the scores in the next one.**


	17. Chapter 17- Kembrith

After a small dinner Friday night we all crowd around the TV. The Private sessions are up.

Fierce careers. This is bad. Kailey had better steer clear of them.

I watch Abby McMillon, Kailey's ally, do simply what she did during training.

Tyler carries heavy weapons and handles them fine.

Then Kailey comes in.

We all focus hard on the screen.

Kailey throws a knife around a dummy, then runs at it and slashes its chest.

I know exactly what she's doing. Distraction.

The Gamemakers stare at her, confusing.

Kailey seems quite annoyed. "It's called distraction." She tells them before using other weapons.

After Kailey leaves, the scores are announced.

"Kitty Cougar from District 1 scored a 7."

"Jesse Horace from District 1 scored a 9."

"Roes Shimmerg from District 2 scored an 8."

"Timotheos Traisan from District 2 scored a 4."

"Kelsey London from District 3 scored a 9."

"Ryan Green from District 3 scored a 3."

"Agnes Mulligan from District 4 scored an 11."

"Pete Morgan from District 4 scored an 8."

"Abby McMillon from District 5 scored a 6."

"Ben Morse from District 5 scored a 7."

"Skye Black from District 6 scored a 7."

"Phillip Jacks from District 6 scored a 4."

"Hermione Fox from District 7 scored a 7."

"Jacob Moons from District 7 scored a 6."

"Brooke Sampson from District 8 scored a 10."

"Asa Lawrence from District 8 scored an 8."

"Marilyn Banks from District 9 scored a 7."

"Teal Drake from District 9 scored an 8."

"Callie Anders from District 10 scored an 8."

"Jeff Glaydes from District 10 scored a 2."

"Olivia Buys from District 11 scored an 11."

"Levi Lewis from District 11 scored a 5."

"Kailey Jones from District 12 scored a 5."

"Tyler Millisbrynk from District 12 scored a 6."

The screen goes blank.

Kailey is probably satisfied with her score, but she deserves higher.

...

**Sorry if I have your tribute a low score. It's not out of favoritism, I promise.**

**The Games start in 3 chapters.**


	18. Chapter 18- Amber

One day left.

Tonight are the interviews. Then, early tomorrow, the tributes will be sent into the arena.

I pick at the meager amount of food on my plate. Gale gave us a squirrel today.

The TV is on. Right now the girl from 7 is being interviewed.

"So, Hermione, what do you think? Your life might end tomorrow."

"I know that." Hermione tells Caesar. "But I'm not scared."

"You're not?" Caesar looks surprised.

"No. I don't think death is all that bad. It's just the fact that it's close that's scary."

I tune out the interviews and continue eating.

After a while we all settle in front of the TV.

"Let's have it for Levi Lewis!"

The audience applauds wildly. The boy from District 11 leaves, and Caesar announces, "Next up is Kailey Jones!"

Kailey walks in and sits down. I watch her, keeping a smile, her brown hair tied into a ponytail, her green eyes bright. This is the last time I'll see her safe.

"I hear you're a volunteer." Caesar starts.

"Yes, I am." Kailey responds.

"But you're not a career, are you? District 12 is not a career district."

"I never said I was a career."

"Then why did you volunteer? We don't get many twelve-year-olds as volunteers."

"I volunteered because..." Kailey stops talking for a second. "Because my sister Amber was reaped, and I love her so much and I didn't want to lose her."

Caesar nods. "I see. How old is your sister?"

"Fifteen."

"Do you have any other siblings?"

"Yes. I have a brother. He's thirteen."

"Do you have a message for your family?"

"Okay." Kailey smiles. "Mom, Dad, thanks for all your encouragement. I'll remember it. Amber, thank you for all you've done for me. You'll be on my mind in the arena. And Kembrith, I'll remember running on roofs, okay?" She laughs a little.

Kembrith smiles a little.

"Let's have it for Kailey Jones!"

Kailey leaves, and Tyler takes her place.

"What was it like at home, Tyler?" Caesar asks.

"Bad. I had ten tesserae slips, because I am kind of poor. I always tried my hardest to keep my little sister safe. I don't want her to get reaped. She has four years left until she's in danger of that. Then... I usually bullied Kailey's brother. I found it stupid that he jumped from one roof to another."

Kembrith tenses with anger.

"But I regret it now. Thirteen years is short. I should have lived them worthily. But bullying others is not a good way to live. So I promised I would keep Kailey safe."

Caesar laughs. "How do you think you'll do that? You never know what to expect. It's the Hunger Games, after all."

I fall asleep before the interview is over. I've been quite restless lately, and I will be even more once the Games start tomorrow."

**Let the 83rd Hunger Games begin!"**


	19. Chapter 19- Kailey

I glance at my surroundings. I have sixty seconds. If I step off my platform, I will be blown to smithereens.

"Let the 83rd Hunger Games begin!"

The clock starts ticking.

Ahead of me is the cornucopia. It is not golden like usual. It seems to be constructed of... I have no idea what.

I am in a desert. Not good. Is there any water around?

I look to my left and find that the desert stretches on. I see a tree and grass below it in the distance. That's a good sign that it isn't all desert sands and heat.

I look past the Cornucopia and see grass stretching ahead. Maybe I'll go that way. I see a cliff in the distance, too.

I move my gaze slowly to the right and see a lake. Water! Perfect.

I look behind myself and find more desert.

"5...4...3...2...1."

The gong rings out. I run forward and yank a small green pack off the ground. No one seems to notice me. I look around for Tyler and Abby.

The boy from 9 leans against the strange Cornucopia. He is eighteen, but not a career. Suddenly he jumps away from it.

"Help! I'm on fire! That Cornucopia is built out of match tips!"

Screaming, he runs toward the lake. Before he gets there he falls to his knees and the fire dies down.

I just saw someone die.

Sure, I've seen it on TV in other years, but this is the first time I'm seeing it in person.

The careers are starting to gather together, grabbing supplies. There's hardly anyone around now. After Teal caught on fire, most of the tributes ran off.

I grab an axe off the ground and see Pete pinning Abby down.

Tyler and Timotheos from District 2 are walking toward me. Tyler notices Abby struggling and throws a knife. It catches in Pete's knee.

Pete grits his teeth in pain, pulls the knife out of his knee and runs after the other careers.

Abby scrambles to her feet. "Thanks."

She grabs a pack that Pete had been trying to grab.

"Where should we go?" Tyler asks, stepping aside to shield the sight of the boy from 8 stabbing the boy from 11 with a spear.

It's starting to get lighter.

"Let's go toward the lake." Abby suggests.

"So few deaths," Timotheos says quietly. "This might be Hunger Games history."

Two cannons fire.

"Only _two_?" I look around, my mouth open in shock. I knew it was a low number, but not _that_ low.

I look around the Cornucopia, checking to see if the Gamemakers missed any. But only Teal and Levi lay motionless on the sand. The boy from 8 ran.

"Wow," Tyler mumbles. "Come on. It's not safe to stay here. With the Cornucopia built out of matches and all."

I laugh. "Come on."

We walk until we get to the lake. We stand at the edge, staring at the land stripping out to the middle.

"Are those _islands_?" Abby stares into the lake. "Come on, let's go investigate!"

She runs for the strip of land. We have no choice but to follow her.

We stop and watch how the islands are like stepping stones back to the main land.

"Let's stop and see what's in our packs." Abby suggests.

Only Abby and I have packs.

Tyler glances around for tributes. "All clear. Go ahead."

I open my pack and search through what's in it.

I have three packs of crackers. Good for food. I find a small knife, good for distraction, and some rope and rods.

Abby has food, a blanket, a knife, and a noose.

"We can stay here." Abby suggests. "For now, at least."

"And how do we know that no one will come and kill us while we're sleeping?" Tyler asks.

"Simple." Abby holds up the rods, the rope, and the noose. "We build traps!"

...

**What do you think? Please review!**


	20. Chapter 20- Kembrith

Amber sits in front of the TV, not having moved since the bloodbath started. She's literally been sitting in that chair since 5 am.

She was tossing and turning all night. She couldn't have slept for more than a few hours.

The screen is focused on the careers. Among them are both tributes from 1, the girl from 2, the girl from 3, both tributes from 4, and the two strong fourteen-year-old girls from 8 and 10.

"Did you hear, Kembrith?" Amber asks. "Only two deaths. Not good for Kailey."

The careers are trying to climb the cliff.

"Why did they have to design the arena so that we couldn't climb this?" Agnes, the girl from 4, huffs.

"You're not the one who's injured!" Pete snaps. He has a gash in his knee from Tyler's knife.

"Relax, you two," Kitty sighs, cutting away at the branches of a tree with her knife. "There, I've cleared a path. Come on."

The careers begin to follow her up.

"Amber, you look so tired. Why don't you take a nap?" I suggest.

"But I have to make sure Kailey's okay!" Amber protests.

"The cameras aren't even on her." I groan, slightly embarrassed that I'm telling someone who's two years older than me to sleep. "I'll watch. You go sleep and I'll wake you up if I see Kailey."

"Fine." Amber gets up. I sit down and continue to watch the careers.

Kitty struggles after two minutes and finally uses her knife to get up. The others use their weapons to climb up after her.

"Come on, I see the way up!" Kitty calls to the others excitedly.

"It better be." Roes from District 2 calls up. "I don't want to plummet to my death."

Callie and Brooke, the fourteen-year-olds, glance at each other.

Kitty leads everyone to the top of the cliff.

"We have a perfect view of the Cornucopia!" Jesse cheers.

Everyone lines up near the edge to see.

"I see some tributes that way." Kelsey points a spear toward the island that Kailey and her allies are on.

That's not good.

Callie and Brooke stay behind everyone. Glancing at Callie, Brooke takes out a knife. Callie takes out a sword and they slowly move forward.

Callie knocks Jesse off the cliff.

BOOM!

I jump at the cannon.

Kitty turns away from the edge and jumps on Callie, her knife raised.

Brooke pushes Pete forward and he falls fifty feet to his death.

BOOM!

Callie tries to hold Kitty off but can't.

Kelsey tries to run but Brooke stabs her in the back. She drops to the ground and another cannon fires.

Agnes and Roes start to climb down. Brooke follows them and knocks Agnes off the cliff and stabs Roes. They both fall and two more cannons fire.

This is a much better bloodbath than the one at the cornucopia.

Brooke runs to the other side of the cliff and into the desert.

Kitty pins Callie. "That was your plan all along, wasn't it?" She yells.

Callie tries to struggle away.

"We should never have trusted you!"

Kitty sends the knife into Callie's heart and runs.

That was a very confusing scene. I lost track of who died. I look at the column on the right side of the screen and work my way down.

Jesse Horace from District 1.

Roes Shimmerg from District 2.

Kelsey London from District 3.

Agnes Mulligan from District 4.

Pete Morgan from District 4.

Teal Drake from District 9.

Callie Anders from District 10.

Levi Lewis from District 11.

I run into the kitchen.

"Mom! Dad! You missed it! Two fourteen-year-olds took on the careers!"

"What happened?" Dad asks.

"All the careers are dead except one. They pushed them off the cliff. The surviving career killed one of the fourteen-year-olds. The other ran. Now instead of two deaths on the first day there's eight."

"The careers died the first day?" Mom asks. "That has never happened before."

...

**The careers are dead!**

**Apologies to:**

**Mintysplash**

**Please review!**


	21. Chapter 21- Amber

Right before I leave for school I see Mom and Dad looking at the TV screen with worried faces. The cameras must be focused on Kailey.

A feeling of dread goes through me. What if there's a tribute coming at them? What if she's dead right now and I have no idea because I'm at school?

That's the thought that goes through my head until lunchtime. They tune the TV to the Hunger Games. There is only one face in the column on the side of the screen and it is not Kailey's. Good.

The cameras are focused on the girl from 1, the only career who survived yesterday. Kembrith was the only one who saw the careers die. Only minutes after I fell asleep.

Kitty is walking across the desert.

"Stupid girls!" She yells. "Stupid, stupid! That girl deserved to die! And I hope I catch that other one!"

After she finishes ranting she hides in a bush. Taking out her knife, she keeps alert for tributes.

I notice that Asa from District 8 is nearby, but neither of them notice each other.

The TV is turned off. We all groan.

"Sorry, everyone! I know you all want to find out if Asa and Kitty discover each other but you're going to have to find out when you get home!"

After school I wait around outside for Kembrith. I notice him a little ways from the front of the school... talking to a girl!

Curious, I move closer. I've seen this girl before. She was standing next to Kembrith at the reaping and it looked like they were talking about something they found very funny.

Before I get close enough to hear anything the girl walks away.

"Who was that?" I ask.

Kembrith turns bright red. "No one."

"Come on, who is she?"

Kembrith huffs. "She's just a friend, Amber! Don't get the wrong idea!"

This is quite amusing. He can say what he wants but the way he's blushing tells it all.

Kembrith changes the subject.

"Did you see how they turned off the TV right when the boy from 8 appeared?"

"Yeah. That was mean! We might miss the action."

When we get home the TV is still in that desert area.

Asa has noticed Kitty. Kitty notices Asa.

Asa lifts his spear. Kitty raises her knife.

As Asa throws the spear, Kitty jumps out of the way and runs. Once she is out of Asa's view she hides in a bush.

And she is near Kailey's camp.

...

**The next chapter starts from the beginning of this day, so you'll find out what Kailey's parents were watching in the morning.**

**Please review!**


	22. Chapter 22- Kailey

I wake up when I feel a tug at my wrist. Feeling the soft grass beneath me and the scent of moisture, I remember where I am. And why I felt a tug at my wrist.

Last night, I slipped the noose around my wrist. That way, if a tribute stepped on the ropes, I would know.

"Abby! Abby! Abby!" I shake her awake.

"Wha-"

"Get up! Someone's here!"

I pull the noose off my wrist to stop the squeezing.

Timotheos wakes up and stares at us in the light of the rising sun.

We see the girl from 7 sprawled on the ground. She must have tripped over the ropes.

"Nice try." Abby sneers. "I'll make it quick."

I turn away as she raises her knife.

The cannon wakes Tyler.

"Who died?"

"You slept through it." I tell him. "Girl from 7 caught in our trap."

"If Kailey hadn't thought to put the noose around her wrist, we might all have been dead by now." Abby explains.

The hovercraft takes the girl's body.

"We can't stay here much longer if we've been discovered." Abby looks around. "And we don't know what might be lurking in the water."

"Next time they might not trip over the ropes. We'd wake up, but it wouldn't do us any good." Timotheos adds.

"At sight of the next tribute we leave." I decide. "Deal?"

"Deal."

"Alright."

"It's getting light." Timotheos says. "Last night I dream that capital mutts got us while we were asleep."

Tyler laughs. "Good thing that didn't actually happen."

"Don't joke like that!" I interrupt. "You might give the Gamemakers ideas."

"Sorry." Timotheos mutters.

"Uh oh," Tyler points toward a hill across the water. We all look and see Skye Black, the girl from District 6. We know it's her because of her height.

She's too far away to hit with a knife. The only way to kill her is to go and fight.

"She doesn't see us. Best not to provoke an attack. Get down." Abby crouches.

I crouch next to her and watch Skye climb over the hill and disappear behind it.

"That was close," Timotheos breathes out.

We keep low as we check for other tributes. But no one else is here. They must be spread out around the arena. The Gamemakers will probably try to move us together soon.

"Tomorrow we'll move somewhere else." Tyler decides. "But where is the question."

"Maybe we could cross the stepping-stone islands and see what's over there." I suggest.

"I'm curious about what's around. They never put us in a desert with a lot of water." Timotheos replies excitedly.

No one comes and no cannons fire. Must be boring for everyone watching. It sure is boring for me.

At least we have food.

I see some fish in the water. To entertain myself, I swing my axe at one.

I miss, and they swim away.

They come and go, and each time I swing and miss. It is a fun way to entertain myself, and distract myself from the fact that I'm on death's doorstep.

Finally I do hit one. I chase it all around the island.

"Kailey! That could be poisonous!" Abby yells.

"So? When we leave the island we could leave it out. Then if it's poison..."

"Oh, yeah!" Timotheos smiles. "Nice thinking, Kailey."

I drag the fish onto the island and put it in my pack. Then I clean off my axe in the water.

Abby takes the axe and catches a bird.

"We'll save this. This isn't poison."

She gives me back the axe. I pace the island for a little while until it gets dark.

The anthem plays, and Hermione's face appears in the sky. Then it disappears, and it slowly gets darker.

...

The next day we pack everything up. I set the dead fish on the island and put my axe in the pack. We each carry a knife as we make our way along the stepping-stone islands.

I leap to the next island, and Tyler and Abby follow. Timotheos falls short and lands with a splash in the shallow water.

Timotheos pulls himself ashore and rolls in the grass, trying to dry off.

"It'll dry with time." Abby assures him. "Come on."

After a few islands that we barely fit on, a fish comes to bother us. I hit it in the eye with my knife and it swims away.

One jump left.

"Oh no!" Tyler points ahead.

"What?" Abby comes up behind him.

"Kitty Cougar from District 1. She sees us, and she's armed with a good knife!"

"Her whole name is cats." Timotheos jokes. "I hope she's weak as a house kitty."

"No, I think she's strong as a cougar." I joke back.

"Enough, you two." Abby interrupts. "I think we need to fight now."

Kitty comes up on us as we jump over. Tyler and Abby fall into the water and struggle to get out. Timotheos stands on the other side, not wanting the same thing to happen.

"Come on, Timotheos! Don't leave me to fi-"

The words are cut off as Kitty lunges at me and knocks me to the ground. All I have is a small knife. I should have thought to carry the axe.

I struggle underneath her.

"Kailey!" Abby pulls herself from the water. Kitty knocks her away.

"Get off her!" Tyler barks. "Can't you see how small she is?"

I flinch at that comment. Kitty knocks him back into the water and takes out her knife.

She repeatedly tries to stab me, but I hold her off each time. We move slowly along the shore, and at one point I have to struggle to stay on land.

Kitty digs the tip of her knife into my forehead. Screaming with pain, I thrust my knife into her hand.

Kitty gasps in surprise and pain. I push the hand with the knife away.

Timotheos jumps over and opens the backpack I dropped. Kitty holds off my attacks while I hold off hers, though I am on the bottom and she is heavier than me.

Timotheos takes out my axe, walks over, and slams it into Kitty's foot. Kitty screams as blood bursts from the long, deep gash from the blade. Letting me go, she runs across the desert and away from us.

I scramble to my feet. "Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! I thought I was dead for sure!" I gasp.

Timotheos turns and pulls Abby and Tyler from the water. We're all wet, but I'm the only one who's not soaked through. Only my leg got in the water.

"You saved the day, Timotheos." Tyler cheers. He watches Kitty limping away. "She'll die. She won't get anywhere with that foot. Someone will find her."

I press a hand to my forehead. My hand comes away red. I glance anxiously at Abby.

"It's shallow. It'll sting for a bit, but it'll be fine."

We walk in the opposite direction Kitty went and search for somewhere to settle.

...

**Please review! Maybe make predictions?**

**Apologies to:**

**Fuzzyhead and Mudpath**


	23. Chapter 23- Kembrith

"Kembrith!"

Amber bursts into the door of my second class.

Mrs. Brunge pauses the lesson, slightly annoyed that Amber had disrupted the class.

"What is it?" Mrs. Brunge asks.

"Kembrith, you need to come now. Kailey's in a really intense fight."

"Can't I find out at lunchtime?" Why did I say that?

"Kembrith, do you understand or not? Kailey might not be around by lunchtime."

I jump out of my seat and run down the hall after her.

Amber goes into an office, and I follow her in.

Kailey is struggling beneath Kitty, the only surviving career. Her backpack was dropped on the shore, and she's only holding a small knife. Kitty has a stronger knife.

Kailey's allies are scattered. Tyler and the girl from 5 are in the water, unable to help, and the boy from 2 is on the last stepping-stone island, too scared to move.

I don't blame him.

Kitty tries to push Kailey into the water. Kailey scrambles to stay on the sand. Finally she sets her leg in the water and kicks away.

Kitty pins her down and cuts into her forehead. Amber grips my arm, and I stiffen.

Suddenly Kitty gasps and Kailey pulls the knife from her forehead. I see blood on Kitty's hand and know that the wound is from Kailey's knife.

Keep it up, Kailey!

It doesn't take long for Kitty to recover. Before long Kailey is pinned again and her knife hand is stuck under Kitty's leg. Behind them I see the young boy rummaging through Kailey's bag.

I look anxious at Kailey. Kitty's preparing to kill her.

The boy takes out the axe and slams it into Kitty's foot. Kitty screams and hobbles into the desert.

Kailey's alive.

...

At lunch I sit at a table and watch the screen intently. The cameras are not focused on Kailey, so she must be okay.

The cameras are instead focused on a fight between two tributes. Ben Morse from District 5 and Phillip Jacks from District 6. Phillip will probably win, given that he is much bigger than Ben, but then again, I might be surprised.

The two wrestle in the desert, near a lake. After a certain point, things get blurry.

Phillip digs his knife in Ben's arm. Ben screams and tries to send a spear through Phillip's head. Phillip jumps away, close to the lake.

Ben shoves Phillip. Phillip wobbles and grabs Ben for balance. Ben falls back into the fuzziness, freezes, and falls back.

BOOM!

So that's the edge of the arena.

...

When I get home, Kitty's face is in the column.

"How did she die?" I ask.

"Her foot bled out." Mom explains. "She fell unconscious. Boy from 10 found her and finished her off."

"She was going to kill Kailey. I can't believe how close she was to death. She would be dead if it wasn't for the boy from 2." I look at the TV.

As it gets dark, Kailey and her allies settle in a valley with a hill over-looking a pond. There's a lot of water in this arena. Maybe they want a lot of action.

The anthem plays. I look at the column. Kitty and Ben's faces are there. Then they disappear, signifying a new arena day.

It's my night to stay awake.

The girl from 11, Olivia Buys, is keeping low to the floor of the desert.

I see a small cave made out of the desert sands. Olivia crawls into it, and the cameras zoom in.

Taking out a spear, Olivia skewers it in the boy from 3's chest.

BOOM!

That probably woke the whole arena.

Olivia covers a tarp with desert sands.

"Ryan was stupid not to do this," she mutters.

Climbing into the cave, she pulls the tarp over the top.

...

**Please review!**

**Apologies to:**

**Dogstar**

**Fuzzyhead and Mudpath**


	24. Chapter 24- Amber

I wake up a few hours into the night and am unable to fall back asleep. After about a half hour I get up.

It is still dark. Kembrith is still at the TV, staring intently at the screen.

"Can't sleep?"

"Yes."

"Kailey's on screen." Kembrith tells me.

I sit down.

"The boy from 3 died a few hours ago. The cannon woke them."

"They won't see us if we travel by night. How about two of us search for a safer place while two of us stay here and guard the supplies?" Tyler suggests.

"It's not too hard to see in the desert at night," Timotheos agrees.

"Oh!" Abby digs into her pack and pulls out a tiny round object. "This will light up a little bit, enough for us to see, but not enough for anyone else to notice us."

"Where'd you get that?" Kailey asks, leaning forward to examine it.

"Still curious." I say, half with laughter, half with sadness.

Kembrith nods.

"Before the cannon, when all of you were asleep, we got a Sponsor gift."

"Cool!" Timotheos exclaims.

"Sh!" Abby whispers. "Do you want to wake the whole arena?"

"The cannon probably woke everyone anyway," Timotheos mutters.

"I'll search." Kailey offers. "I want to do something exciting here. You know, before..."

"Yeah, I know." Timotheos nods. "I'll come with you."

As Kailey and Timotheos climb down, Abby says, "I wonder which of us will get out alive."

"If any." Timotheos mutters.

Kembrith laughs.

Abby looks at him, her expression not amused. "Can you stop remarking on everything we say?"

"Sorry."

Kailey and Timotheos start out again, and I realize that the two youngest and smallest tributes are alone. If anyone sees them, they'll be targeted immediately.

As Kailey and Timotheos walk below the higher cliff, it starts raining. The Gamemakers could be planning lightning.

They keep going.

They see a flash of lightning nearby. Kailey jumps and grabs Timotheos. Timotheos stares at the area where the lightning was, frozen.

"I think that was over water. Come on."

Timotheos takes two steps forward and splashes into the water.

I burst out laughing.

Timotheos scrambles up.

They climb up another cliff- _there do seem to be a lot of cliffs-_ and Kailey slips, followed by Timotheos.

I gasp.

"Calm down," Kembrith whispers. "There's water below."

Sure enough, after fifteen feet they hit water and go three feet under, then scramble to the top.

Timotheos looks pale.

"That was fun!" Kailey giggles.

Timotheos glares at her.

"Okay, sorry."

They do their best to swim, sometimes sinking a few feet before floating back to the surface. The object seems to be helping them find their way.

"I sure hope it get light soon. The darkness is driving me crazy!" Timotheos whispers.

"Let me take the lead. You keep on leading us into water."

"Hey!"

Kailey laughs. "It's true!"

"Fine." Timotheos hands her her the object.

They reach land again. I watch them climb up and roll in the grass.

Kailey walks in front.

"The lightning helps some." She tells Timotheos.

"But now we're closer to it," he mutters.

"What did Abby say before we left?" Kailey asks.

Timotheos groans.

"I see the Cornucopia. Timotheos, do you think we're on Cannon Cliff?"

"Yes."

"Then we've nearly gone in a complete circle."

"Then don't go to the Cornucopia. Go away from it."

They continue on into the desert until they reach some bushes surrounding a tree.

"Perfect." Timotheos says.

"Let's make sure it isn't already claimed." Kailey gets down and crawls under a bush. After a minute she stands up.

"Safe. Let's go back."

...

**Please review :) **


	25. Chapter 25- Kailey

It is light by the time we get back to High-Low cliffs, as we now call it. Abby and Tyler are on Low Cliff, which is only about seven feet high. High Cliff is about twenty feet high.

We call the cliff near the island Cannon Cliff because a fall off of it will kill you.

"What did you find?" Tyler asks.

Timotheos and I have dried off by now.

"We found a great place to stay."

"That's good." Abby nods. "Where is it?"

"Near Cannon Cliff, but not around the islands. I'll lead." Laughing, I tell them how Timotheos kept leading me into water.

"Hey, it was hard to see!" He laughs.

"It think we should eat something," Abby interrupts.

After a good meal of bread from District 12, we start planning our travel.

"I think-" Timotheos starts.

"Uh oh," Tyler whispers.

We look up. The girl from 11, Olivia Buys, and the girl from 8, Brooke Sampson- I think she took on the careers, both must be deadly- are standing on High Cliff.

"What have we here?" Olivia laughs.

I don't think she knows that Brooke is behind her.

Brooke shoves Olivia hard. Olivia stumbles forward, then grabs the edge of the cliff to keep from falling.

Brooke runs.

Olivia pulls herself onto the cliff again.

Timotheos grabs a spear and sneaks over to High Cliff. He starts climbing up.

When he gets near the top, before he can throw the spear, Olivia whips out a knife and runs it across his throat.

"Timotheos!" I scream.

Timotheos falls into the water and the water around him turns red.

A cannon fires.

"Timotheos!" I scream again, even though it is useless.

Abby pushes me down where Timotheos had been hiding before. Olivia hasn't noticed me yet.

"Timotheos!" Abby shouts in a good impression of my voice.

I see what she's up to.

I don't make any move. I'm just starting to realize that Timotheos is not going to get up out of the water again. That he is dead.

"Kailey," Abby whispers, her mouth barely moving, her eyes still on Olivia. "Get a knife."

I glance around wildly, then grab my knife. I crawl over to the shore that leads to the islands. I move along the shore toward High Cliff.

I step onto stone. Olivia has vanished from my sight. She must be waiting for Tyler and Abby to attempt to kill her by climbing up the way Timotheos did.

She doesn't know I'm here. Just like she didn't know Brooke was behind her. I wish Brooke had successfully knocked her off the cliff. Then Timotheos would still be alive.

I find a vine and climb up. It takes a lot of effort. Finally it stops. I reach out for the next one, a little farther out, and find that it is useless. I slide to the ground.

I'll find another way up. I need to be quick.

I work my way around High Cliff, searching for the way Olivia got up. And I finally find it. After walking around to the back.

I climb up the cliff. It takes a lot of effort. When I'm nearly there I slip. I only fall two feet before landing on a ledge. I take a moment to catch my breath, then start climbing again.

Finally, I reach the top. I see her. I see what to do. I keep low, waiting for the perfect chance.

Then I jump up and plunge the knife into her stomach. It slides in easily, and I pull it out quickly. It went in deep.

I stare at the knife, astonished.

_I just killed someone_

"Kailey, jump over." Abby calls. "You'll make it."

I focus hard on Low Cliff, then jump over. My knees hurt from the impact, but I don't care.

I run to the water and wash the knife.

Olivia's cannon fires.

I just killed someone.

I burst into tears. I stumble back over to Low Cliff.

The hovercraft takes Timotheos and Olivia's bodies.

I look away.

...

**Please review!**

**Apologies to: **

**Mintysplash**

**Monkeymouse7906**


	26. Chapter 26- Kembrith

Kailey's a killer.

I stare at the screen, shocked. Kailey is in tears. She's abandoned the knife. Tyler has it.

Ten minutes ago, Kailey snuck up on the girl from 11 and stabbed her.

Golberg rests a hand over my shoulder. "She did what she had to do, Kembrith."

"I know." I mumble. "I would have done the same thing. I mean, it's the Hunger Games, what else was she to do? Her ally died." I add. "I just didn't see it coming. It happened so fast."

"Please calm down Kailey." Abby sighs.

Once Kailey has calmed down, Tyler asks, "So what were you saying about that place you and Timotheos found?"

"Oh yeah. We'll travel by night."

Then they turn off the TV.

We all groan.

"Sorry, everyone! But it's time to get back to class!"

I have two classes left today. And I can't concentrate.

"Test today!" Mr. Pell says happily when we all walk in.

Oh, great.

I get through five open-ended questions before I read:

How did the Hunger Games begin?

While trying to come up with an answer, my thoughts scatter.

_She killed her._

_Shut up._

That one takes forever. Five out of twenty questions were incomplete.

...

I stumble out of my last class.

"Kembrith." Mirlu follows me out. "Kailey's not a bad person."

"I know, I just can't stop...thinking about it,"

"Remember, in order to win, she has to kill at least one tribute."

"I don't care." I trip over my shoelace and sprawl across the ground.

"Kembrith!"

I scramble to my feet. "I'm fine."

"Okay."

I walk home slowly. What happened in the arena temporarily disappears from my mind.

...

**Sorry for the short chapter. Please review.**


	27. Chapter 27- Amber

I saw Kailey kill the girl. It's what she had to do. Now I know she's worthy of winning. She's not hesitant.

I find Kembrith in a daze.

"Kembrith!"

Kembrith jumps. "Huh?"

I sigh. "Kembrith, what's going on?"

"Nothing!" he says quickly.

"You jumped to that conclusion fast. Come on, tell me."

"I was just thinking about... Kailey. It was unbelievable."

"Didn't you see it coming?"

"Not really."

He's not listening much to what we're talking about. There's something else on his mind.

"Oh, is it that girl again?"

Kembrith nearly jumps a foot into the air.

"What? No...no. No. It's not-" Kembrith sighs. "You just like to get a reaction out of me, huh?"

I just laugh.

"Amber, stop. Do I ever tease you about Carson?"

I stop laughing. "Well...no."

"Exactly. Why are you so interested, anyway?"

"I don't know." I shrug. "Just curious."

Kembrith huffs in mock anger.

"What do you think about what Kailey did?" Kembrith asks.

"It's the Hunger Games," I respond. "I'm glad she was able to bring herself to do it. If she had hesitated any longer, she might have ended up like her ally."

"Tyler and... Oh, what's that girl's name?"

"Abby." I respond.

"Tyler and Abby are doing a good job of keeping her alive."

"That was clever how they kept Kailey hidden and had her sneak up on Olivia." I say.

"Mm hm." Kembrith says, not really listening.

...

**Please review!**


	28. Chapter 28- Kailey

"I'll carry the orb." I offer. "It's not too heavy, and I held it when Timotheos and I searched."

It feels sad talking about Timotheos now. It is getting dark. He's been dead for about six hours.

"Good." Abby nods. "I'll follow the light."

"And I'll keep an eye out for tributes." Tyler says.

"You do that."

The anthem plays. Timotheos and Olivia show in the sky and then it blacks out.

I still can't believe I killed Olivia. I wonder what Amber and Kembrith think.

Once it's dark enough, Abby and I each sling a bag over our shoulders. I grab my axe and she grabs her sword. We each have our knives in our packs. Tyler takes a knife in one hand and a spear in the other.

I walk in front with the orb glowing, lighting up the ground ahead of us. I walk the same path I did earlier while sneaking up on Olivia. I remember walking this way last night with Timotheos.

I miss him already.

How am I going to tell Abby and Timotheos that they have to jump into water?

Maybe I'll just lead them that way.

I continue along High Cliff until I pass it. Then I turn to get one last look at High-Low Cliffs. I'll never see them again.

I climb the hill with Abby and Tyler behind me. Tyler freezes, glancing around with his spear lifted, then relaxes and continues following us.

I look out at the islands. I see three tributes there. Better not mess with them.

We're going to have to jump into the water right about now.

Then I notice some stones leading down to the water. How did I not see those before? I lead Tyler and Abby down and tell them they have to swim.

Abby groans. "You could have told me this ahead of time."

I step into the water, and Tyler follows me. Abby tests it with her foot and pulls back.

"It's cold!"

"Of course it is," Tyler sighs. "Hurry up!"

Abby slowly wades in.

I paddle toward Cannon Cliff. I find it easier than last night, maybe because I know it better now.

The ground disappears beneath me. I hold back a scream and swim back to the surface. I must have reached a dip in the land.

Panting, I call out a warning.

"There's a dip here."

Abby and Tyler avoid it.

I start to climb up Cannon Cliff.

"Oh, look. There's the Cornucopia." Tyler points.

I nod. "That's not where we're going, though."

"Unless you want to set yourself on fire." Abby jokes. "I'm sure Teal hated that."

"He didn't have much time to hate it." I put in. "He probably panicked. He was running for the water."

I suddenly remember Katniss warning me about the Cornucopia. Now I know why.

Abby stops. "Can we fill a water canteen?" She points to a small pond.

"Sure." We haven't filled in a while.

As Abby fills the canteen, it starts raining.

"Again?" I groan. "The Gamemakers did this last night. They must want more night kills."

Abby screws on the cap as lightning flashes in the distance.

I keep low. The bushes must be somewhere around here.

Lightning flashes again. A cannon fires. I jump up, startled.

"Good. Now that they killed someone with their lightning, maybe they'll stop." Tyler mutters.

"Tyler, shut up! Do you want them to target us?" Abby asks angrily.

"No."

"Come on." Their arguing is really annoying me. I keep leading them along. The bushes are in sight.

Tyler freezes in his tracks. "What's that?"

"What?" I ask.

"There's something in the distance. It looks... It's like a neon color."

I see nothing.

Abby groans. "Tyler, quit worrying the rest of us."

"Would you two stop bickering?" I puff.

Abby keeps walking, but we nearly have to drag Tyler, who's worrying about the neon things.

Finally, we make it.

"We definitely won't be found here." Abby crawls under a bush. "Nice job, Kailey."

I crawl under and settle into the ring.

Tyler hesitates. "What about the glowing things?"

"There are no glowing things!" Abby huffs.

Tyler finally joins us.

I lean against the tree and close my eyes as lightning continues to flash. After a while I fall asleep.

And then Tyler is shaking me awake.

...

**Cliffhanger!**

**Please review! Maybe make some predictions?**


	29. Chapter 29- Kembrith

I don't feel like sleeping so I sit in front of the TV with my dad. The cameras are focused on three tributes on the islands that Kailey and her allies were on before. The tributes are the girl from 6, the girl from 9, and the boy from 10. They are heavily loaded with supplies and weapons. A deadly combination.

"The final 10." Dad says quietly.

"Things are getting tense now," I mutter. "I'm worried. What are the odds of her getting out alive?"

"One to nine." Dad responds.

"Not enough," I sigh.

Skye, Jeff, and Marilyn are arguing about something.

"You're just going to stand here and let everyone see us?" Marilyn screams. "We need to hide!"

"Yeah, okay. And where are we going to hide?" Jeff challenges.

Marilyn searches for an answer.

Skye rolls her eyes. "Exactly. Let's just stay here."

The cameras move to Brooke, the girl from 8. She's hiking through the desert, searching for somewhere to stay. Maybe more allies to betray.

She's smart. She's killed a majority of the tributes. She has a good chance of winning. Even if she's only fourteen.

Ten tributes. And Kailey's the youngest now.

Dad straightens suddenly. "Kailey's on!"

I look at the screen. Abby and Tyler are arguing, and Kailey's trying to lead them to the tree. Tyler seems so sure that there are neon things in the distance, but Abby and Kailey can't see them.

Finally they reach the tree and they settle in, Tyler still worrying about the neon things.

"What's that?" Dad asks anxiously.

"What?" I ask.

Dad points at the screen.

I squint. Through the trees, I see specks. Specks of neon red.

Tyler sees them too.

Dad jumps up. "Kembrith, go wake your mother and sister!"

I dart for the bedroom.

...

**Dun dun dun! What are they?**


	30. Chapter 30- Amber

I enter the school cafeteria and find a table. The students around me are just a blur. I watch the teachers struggle to turn on the TV. My heart pounds in my chest.

I'm eager to find out what's happening to Kailey. Would they hurry up? What's so hard about turning on a TV?

Finally they get it on. I turn to it immediately. Kailey's on screen. She's at the uneven cliffs.

Tyler and the girl from 5 are there, but a few other tributes are also there. I can't figure out which tributes they are.

I focus intently on the screen. The tributes are on the higher cliff. Kailey hasn't noticed them.

_Oh, please look up._

The tributes raise their weapons. Arrows and knives fall to the ground.

_No!_

Kailey isn't hit. I gasp with relief.

It fades away as the tributes climb down and stampede her. Kailey screams. They continue to attack her.

_Please. Don't fire the cannon. She's alive. She's alive!_

The cannon fires.

And I'm in my bed.

The relief doesn't last long. Kembrith bursts into the room.

"Get up! Get up! The Gamemakers have sent out capital mutts and they're coming for Kailey's shelter!"

...

**Was anyone fooled by that?**

**Sorry I haven't said who died in the lightning. I keep forgetting. I'll mention it in the next chapter. Sorry to keep you waiting.**


	31. Chapter 31- Kailey

"Wake up! Wake up!" Tyler shouts in my ear. His hands grip tight on my shoulders.

My eyes fly open. "What? What is it? Calm down."

"I can't! Those neon things... they're real and they're these creatures... I don't have time to explain, come on!"

Abby's eyes blink open. "What's going on?" she asks sleepily.

"Capital mutts- come on!"

Abby jumps to her feet.

We grab our packs and hang them on the limbs of the tree. We'll retrieve them when the mutts go away- that is, if we're still alive.

Tyler picks up both his spears. "I told you there were neon things." he mutters.

Abby grabs her sword. "Now isn't the time for 'I-told-you-sos!"

I pick up my axe. I will need it.

I peek under the bush. It is still dark, but I can faintly see the sun on the horizon. That is, the fake sun on the fake horizon.

Six or seven large creatures are approaching. Their bodies are a dark blackish-gray. Their faces are huge, with teeth like daggers. Their feet are huge, large enough to break bones, and there are hollow horns all over their bodies filled with a neon red liquid.

"How did the capital come up with this?" Abby whispers.

"How would I know?" Tyler asks.

"That was a rhetorical question. Do I need to explain the definition of that?"

I'm tired of their arguing, but I really don't care right now. In another hour, I could be dead. I might die today.

I will most likely die today.

"Kailey, on my back." Tyler crouches. "Let's get away!"

I climb on Tyler's back. Abby runs next to us.

The creatures chase after us.

We run between two ponds. Abby nearly slides on the shore. A creature reaches out a giant paw and tries to grab her, but she leaps forward.

Tyler keeps running. Abby struggles to catch up.

I notice now that the lightning has stopped. I wonder who died.

Tyler pants beneath me.

"Sorry if I'm hard to carry." I apologize.

"Stay up there. I promised your brother..." Tyler puffs a few times.

"Kailey, check to see how close they are!" Abby yells.

I look behind us. All of them are close behind us, nearly caught up.

"There too close!" I gasp.

"Kailey- off my back!" Tyler yells.

"What-"

"Get off. Run!"

I slide to the ground.

Tyler turns and throws a spear into the closest creature's face. The creature simply shakes it off.

Abby's sword connects with another creature's horn. The creature squeals and drops to the ground. All the neon fluid drains out of the horns and they go dim.

"Get the horns!" Abby yells.

I feel two paws hit my back. I stumble forward and raise my axe.

I swing it down and it pierces three horns. I jump away from the substance. I don't want to know what it is.

When I was little, I never thought I'd find myself in this situation. In the middle of the desert, fighting capital mutts.

If I hadn't volunteered, would this be Amber right now, fighting off these mutts? Would she have died already?

_Focus on reality. _I tell myself.

Abby chases a mutt and accidentally steps in the fluid. She jumps away, screaming and grabbing her foot.

"Stay away from it!" She screams.

Tyler is tackled by two creatures.

"Tyler!" I yell. I try to help but another creature drags me down. I twist and turn, trying to break a horn.

If only I took my knife.

I finally manage to break free. Tyler struggles beneath the mutts, trying desperately to open a horn. The creatures keep their paws on his chest. His arms are still free, but he can't move them far enough.

I swing my axe. It misses the horns and catches in one of their heads.

The creature shakes it off.

Shouldn't that have killed it?

I guess the only way to kill them is to rip their horns.

The creature turns on me.

"Kailey," Tyler pants from beneath the creature. "Run. It's not safe here."

I thrust the axe down. It slices the creature's paw. Does nothing.

"No. I won't leave you here." I whimper.

Abby limps over, holding one of the creatures off with her sword.

"Kailey," Tyler's face is streaked with tears. "Go."

I rip a horn. I step away at the last minute.

Abby has killed the other.

The remaining two mutts join the third. Tyler struggles beneath them.

"I'm sorry Annabelle," I hear him whisper. He looks over at us. His eyes are pleading.

I glance at him one last time.

"I'm sorry," I whisper.

Abby and I run for the tree.

...

**Please review.**

**I promise I'll tell you who died in the lightning in the next chapter.**


	32. Chapter 32- Kembrith

Mom and Amber follow me to the TV. I notice a face in the right column and my stomach drops.

"Who died?" I can't see it clearly.

"Boy from 6." Dad responds. "Killed in the lightning. Now hurry, the mutts found them."

I slide into a chair.

Tyler hoists Kailey onto his back. The three of them run as fast as they can from the horny creatures.

I bite my tongue hard. They're near the edge of the arena.

Tyler notices this and turns. Abby follows.

The mutts are catching up.

Kailey looks behind her. "They're too close!"

Tyler orders for Kailey to get off his back. "I promised your brother... Run!" He turns to fight the mutts.

Kailey leaps into the fight.

_Careful!_

Amber's nails dig into my arm.

"Ouch!" I yelp.

Kailey manages to hold off the attacks. Abby finally finds their weakness- the horns- and they manage to kill three of the mutts.

Then Tyler is pinned by all except one. Abby is struggling to hold off the remaining one.

"Kailey... Run!" Tyler says weakly.

"No... I won't leave you."

My heart sinks.

Abby kills the mutt.

Tyler watches them insistently. "Go. Run."

They hesitate, then run for their tree.

"I'm sorry Annabelle." Tyler whispers.

One of the creatures raises its giant paw and slams it onto Tyler's chest.

I close my eyes. A second later Tyler's cannon fires.

I feel so guilty. He died keeping his promise.

The anger I always felt when he chased me on roofs or knocked my papers off my desk at school fades instantly.

He didn't deserve to die like that. No one does.

...

**So sad :( **

**What do you think? Please review.**


	33. Chapter 33- Amber

The Final 8 interviews. I never thought I'd be part of them. But Kailey made it to the final 8, so sometime soon people from the Capitol will come to District 12 and interview us.

We basically just hang around by the front door all day, afraid even to eat something in fear that they'll show up.

"They have to get around to the other Districts." Mom assures us. "They might not even get here until tomorrow." But even she keeps glancing at the door anyway.

Finally, in the afternoon sometime, there's a knock at our door. Dad answers it.

"Hello, we're here to interview you. It's down to the final 8. Very exciting!"

"Yes, very exciting," Dad says, and I can tell he's hiding sarcasm. "Come on in."

We sit down at the kitchen table. The people from the capital set up their cameras and start asking us questions.

"Do you think Kailey will win?"

"I'm not sure." I shrug.

Kembrith kicks me under the table. "This is on TV, Amber!"

I glare at him.

Dad gives us a warning glance.

Mom jumps in to keep them distracted from our bickering. "We can only hope."

Dad nods in agreement. "She's worthy of it."

"We're glad you think so. She's the youngest tribute there now. What do you think. Are you worried for her?"

"I course." I say. "Why wouldn't we? She's my _sister,_ for-"

"Amber." Dad says.

"Sorry." I mumble.

The interviewers ask another question. I turn away. I'm fed up with them.

"What do you think of that girl from District 8? Afraid? She's killed a lot of tributes. What do you think?"

Kembrith laughs. "As long as Kailey stays away from cliff tops she'll be fine."

Mom and Dad decide to be more serious.

Mom ignores Kembrith's comment. "She's done a good job of steering clear of her."

Dad sighs. "I hope that girl doesn't win. She's only betraying allies. The only way she's actually killed anyone is by pushing them off cliffs. Why doesn't she just use her weapons?"

"Maybe she doesn't know how." I put in. We all laugh at this.

"Do you think she's safe with her ally? The girl from 5?"

"Yes." I say. "She's a lot like me in some ways."

"She's helped to keep Kailey safe." Mom responds. "She's clever. She came up with the idea of keeping Kailey hidden and sending her to sneak up of the girl from 11."

"Speaking of her, what do you think of Kailey killing someone, and carrying around that axe?"

Would they stop asking annoying questions like these?

Mom beats me to answering.

"She was very strong with the axe during training. And it saved her in the fight with those horrible horny mutts."

I jump in before Dad or Kembrith can. "As for the girl from 11, it was what she needed to do. It saved her allies."

"I would have done the same thing." Kembrith adds in.

The next question causes my patience to snap.

"How was life before this? Was Kailey just some nagging sister?"

I stand up and slam my hands on the table.

"Just some nagging sister? No way! She was so much more! What's wrong with you, why would you ask a question like that?"

"Amber." Mom stands up and sets her hand on my shoulder. "Calm down."

I sit back down.

Kembrith acts casual. "I don't remember anything from before she was born." he tells the interviewers. "I mean, I'm only a year older. But Kailey is very important to me."

The interviewers nod. "Anything else? Any memories?"

Kembrith laughs. "I'm usually found running on everyone's roofs. I took her with me a few times. Last year she tried to do it herself and ended up dangling from our neighbor's roof for hours!"

"Well, she's a pretty good cliff climber, as we've seen. Now, may I ask about the reaping day? What did you think about her volunteering? I mean, a twelve year old volunteering for the Hunger Games? And from District 12."

"What's wrong with District 12?" Mom asks.

"Um... oh, forget that. What did you think?"

Remembering the reaping day ends it. I burst into tears.

"She volunteered to save me. I'll never forgive myself if she dies."

I know I'm making a fool out of myself. On TV too. But I don't care.

Kembrith holds back his emotions.

"I had to stand there and watch as my sister ran forward to volunteer. It was such a brave act. Braver than anything I've ever done. And you know me."

"Well, thanks for your time. We're going to head to District 6 now. You're probably anxious to see how Kailey's doing. I'll leave you to that."

Dad closes the door behind them.

"Oh, Amber." Mom sighs. "What are we going to do with you?"

...

**Did I ever mention that Amber has a short temper? I guess I don't have to...**

**The remaining tributes are:**

**Abby McMillon from District 5, age 15**

**Skye Black from District 6, age 15**

**Jacob Moons from District 7, age 16**

**Brooke Sampson from District 8, age 14**

**Asa Lawrence from District 8, age 18**

**Marilyn Banks from District 9, age 14**

**Jeff Glaydes from District 10, age 15**

**Kailey Jones from District 12, age 12**

**Please review! Sorry I haven't updated in a while**


	34. Chapter 34- Kailey

I collapse into the tree. Abby crawls in after me and checks to make sure the bags are still there.

"This isn't right," I say.

"I know."

"No. It's not fair. Sending kids to die, and most of them die with blood on their hands. Like me. This is terrible. And for 83 years. And if one of the Quarter Quells sent twice as many tributes and another sent tributes back, that's... oh, do you have a calculator?"

I'll bet that got laughs back home.

Abby shakes her head. "I don't think you're going to find one in a Hunger Games arena." she sighs. "I don't think you need to figure out how many people died because of this."

"Yes, I do. I want to show the Capitol. I want them to realize what they've done. I want this to end!"

I grab a knife and kneel in the sand. With the tip I write out 81. Beneath it I write X 23.

"No is 3, obviously, an is 2, so now we have 23."

"Kailey, I'm not in the mood for a math lesson." Abby interrupts.

"Well, it's helping to distract me." I dig the knife tip into the sand beneath the 23 to write +. "0 goes here, no is 24, so 4, carry the 2, 8 X 2 is 16, + 2, 18, so 8, carry the 1, 1840."

"Kailey."

"I'm almost done!" I add the rows. "That's 1863 tributes, now wait. In the 50th Hunger Games, 47 tributes died. So that would be..." I pause to figure it out. "1910. And the 75th Hunger Games ended early, and I think 17 died, or 16, I'm not sure. 1927. And in Katniss's year, two tributes got out, so 1926, and there are still 8 alive this year, so that would be 1918."

I stand up.

"Hey, everyone in the Capitol, you've killed 1918 tributes with your stupid Games! What do you think about _that_?" I shout.

"Kailey," Abby takes the knife from my hand. "They can always bring the mutts back."

I sit down, leaning into the tree. "I just want to go home. I want this to end. I'm tired of losing ally after ally."

"Kailey, this could be our last day. Tomorrow could. Any day might be our last. We've managed to escape death before, but sometime soon, at least one of us is not. So let's make the most out of it."

I leave the equation scratched in the sand so that after the Games the Capitol can look at it and remember all the tributes whose deaths they're responsible for. Who will keep on dying. 23 each year.

"What should we do then?" I ask.

"I don't know." Abby shrugs. "Let's find water."

"What good is that?" I ask.

"Well, there's probably a lot of fun things you can do with water. Splash around, swim, anything, really."

"Okay, let's go."

We don't have to walk far. We find a huge pond just twenty feet away from our tree.

"Only about a foot deep," Abby says, testing it with her foot. "I'll bet you're hot."

"Yes." I wade in after her. The water feels good when it's not trying to drown you.

When I reach the center of the pond I stumble. Water soaks my jumpsuit past my knees. The ground drops a foot.

I test it with Abby's sword to make sure it's not a Gamemaker trap, then step into it again.

"It's deeper here!" I call.

Abby splashes over. I step away and she falls face first into the water.

I laugh. "Nearly what I did."

Abby splashes the water on her face. "It feels so good."

A cannon fires.

I jump with alarm.

"It's okay. It was probably the mutts. They either killed another tribute or drove some of the tributes together and a fight broke out."

Another cannon.

"Definitely a fight."

"Only six." I shake with fear. "I'm scared."

"I never thought I'd get so far." Abby walks back to the shore and starts to climb the hill. "Maybe we have a chance of winning after all."

"Abby," my voice shakes. "What if it comes down to just us?"

"We'll let the Gamemakers decide."

It's a good idea, but I don't know if I want to face those horny creatures again.

...

**Was the math part funny? Please review.**


	35. Chapter 35- Kembrith

Once the interviewers leave, Dad switches on the TV. I sit down and watch.

Brooke from District 8 is running from the mutts. About 50 feet away, four mutts are driving Jacob and Asa from Districts 7 and 8 toward her.

Brooke stumbles at the edge of a lake and splashes in face first. The mutts back off. Farther along, the mutts back away from Asa and Jacob.

"Brooke," Asa twirls a spear in his hand. "Now that it's down to the final 8, and it looks like we've found each other, I think it's time to eliminate you."

Brooke's eyes widen. "No! Asa, please." She scrambles for the water's edge.

Asa laughs and throws the spear. It hits Brooke's head and she sinks to the ground where the water meets the sand.

Jacob quickly reaches for his knife. "That wasn't right," he says. "Killing your own District partner?" he shakes his head. "You were never meant to win."

He thrusts the knife forward into Asa's chest.

BOOM!

Brooke struggles on the shore. She grabs the spear and pulls the tip from her head. Her hand drops, and her cannon fires.

Jacob takes their weapons and supplies and walks away.

The cameras move to the island. Marilyn, Skye, and Jeff are pacing the island, grumbling.

"We haven't had any action lately," Skye kicks at a pebble. "Not that involves us, anyway."

"Why don't we just search for action?" Jeff asks. "Pretty simple. Find the tributes and fight."

"Hello? We aren't careers!" Skye interrupts.

"So?" Marilyn asks. "All the careers are dead. Why can't we be the new careers? We didn't ask to be put in the Games but since we were we should at least _try_ to win."

"There's six remaining," Skye mutters. "Not including us. So that leaves three tributes. And then we'll have to fight each other."

Jeff shrugs. "Sounds fair."

I eat a good meal. Gale gave us a squirrel.

As it gets dark outside, the faces are wiped from the column. I wonder which faces will show tomorrow. I imagine Kailey's face in that column and feel sick.

...

**Please review!**

**Apologies to:**

**Mintysplash**

**Monkeymouse7906**


	36. Chapter 36- Amber

No action. No death.

A boring day in the Hunger Games. Kailey and Abby stayed in their tiny shelter the whole day. They only left once to catch a bird for food.

The "careers" Jeff, Skye, and Marilyn stayed on their island. Probably waiting for the others to come to them.

Jacob searched and searched but only ended up bringing himself farther from everyone else. That could turn out well for him, but could also make the Games drag on.

I guess they'll have to bring the mutts back.

I stare at the column, empty of faces, even as it gets dark. No one died today, but what about tomorrow?

I'm scared. Five out of six tributes are very close to each other. And Kailey is one of them.

As everyone settles, I watch Kailey sleep. She sleeps so peacefully. The poor thing. Death getting closer each day, how does she bear it?

I stay awake, even as everyone else goes to bed. I keep watching Kailey sleep. I don't want her in the Hunger Games. I don't want her on death's doorstep. I want her home, with us.

I watch her until Mom comes and sends me to bed.

...

**Sorry for the extremely short chapter. There wasn't much to write about. I'm bad at space fillers. **


	37. Chapter 37- Kailey

I wake to the sound of the mockingjays. I slowly open my eyes and look up at the leaves of our tree.

Abby is already awake. She looks up as I shift my eyes to her.

"Good, you're awake. We got more bread from District 12 last night. I suppose I can eat now?"

I laugh. "Of course. As long as you save some for me."

Abby breaks the loaf in half, then breaks one half in half again. She gives one half to me and eats the other.

I watch a mockingjay fly overhead. Two smaller ones follow it.

Abby whistles. The mockingjays make the same sound.

"That's awesome." I say with a laugh. I try to whistle, but can't. I can only make a similar but quiet sound through my teeth. Close enough.

I make the whistling sound through my teeth. The mockingjays don't hear.

I call out to the birds, and they hear that. They imitate it.

For hours we call out to the mockingjays and they respond.

Finally we take a break and go to the water. I carry both my axe and my knife and leave them on the shore. Abby lays down her sword and we splash water at each other.

A sickening feeling fills me. I turn around and find three tributes standing about ten feet from the shore. Skye from District 6, Marilyn from District 9, and Jeff from District 10. They must have heard us calling out to the mockingjays.

Jeff raises a knife that looks more like a saw and runs forward.

Abby and I splash to the shore and grab our weapons. We try to run back to the tree, but they chase after us.

Abby splashes across a smaller pond, and I stumble after her. She scrambles up a hill. I swiftly follow.

Jeff, Skye, and Marilyn easily follow. Finally Jeff throws the knife. I dodge it. He quickly grabs it. I keep running. We all slide down the other side of the hill and jump to our feet quickly. We keep running. We have to get away. They're stronger than us.

Abby quickly notices a cave in the sand. While the others are busy trying to get to their feet, we swing ourselves into it.

"You okay?" she asks, panting.

"Yes."

We hide deep in the cave for what seems like hours until we think they're gone. We climb back out and realize we were wrong.

They chase us into the grass. Water is spread across the area. I see the Cornucopia in the distance. We could lead them there and try to trick them into rubbing against the cornucopia.

But we don't have time for that.

Jeff throws the knife again, and it hits Abby's burned foot. She screams and crumbles to the ground. Jeff grabs the knife and Marilyn comes up behind them.

Abby swings her sword blindly, desperately trying to keep them away. They dodge it and keep trying to kill her.

Skye knocks me to the ground. I forgot about her.

We wrestle in the grass. I try to get her wrist with my axe but she always blocks it with her knife. I have to trick her. I should go for her wrist and then get her head.

A cannon fires and my stomach drops. That can't be Abby.

I glance over and see that it is not Abby, but Marilyn. She finally managed to hit her with the sword. Now she wrestles with Jeff.

I fake the axe to the left, then swing at her head. She figures out the trick and grabs my wrists.

My arms are pinned back.

Skye raises the knife and prepares to thrust it into my heart.

"Abby," I whisper. "Help."

...

**Cliffhanger! Please review! **


	38. Chapter 38- Kembrith

I watch the screen. Kailey and Abby are sliding down a hill. Three strong tributes chase after them. It is easy to identify them with so few left.

My heart pounds so fast I can't even tell it's beating.

Abby drags Kailey into a sand cave. The other tributes look around, confused.

And the teachers switch off the TV.

I want to scream at them.

...

After school, I find out that Amber rushed home at lunchtime to keep watching.

I leave the building, deep in conversation with Mirlu about roofs. Yes, roofs.

"Isn't that scary?" she asks.

"No," I say. "It's fun. I dare you to do it."

"Okay!" she says enthusiastically.

We walk a little farther until we find a roof easy to access.

I climb up after her.

"Are you sure I won't fall?" she calls down anxiously from a second-story window.

I stand on the first window ledge. "Just climb up. Put your foot on top of the window."

Foot shaking, she does as I say, then rolls onto the roof.

I climb up and scramble on, my foot hanging down. I pull it onto the roof.

Mirlu walks to the edge of the roof and peers at the next one, eight feet away, a little lower than this one.

"I have to jump across that?" she asks, her eyes wide.

"More like leap." I give myself a running start and land on the next roof. "Do as I did," I call over. "I roof is lower, it's pretty simple."

She lands near the edge and drags herself on.

"That was fun." she laughs.

Soon we reach my house and scramble down from the roof. We go inside.

Amber walks away from the TV. The boy from District 7 is on screen, far across the arena.

"Who's this?" she asks. Her eyes light up mischievously. "Oh! It's your girlfriend."

"Amber! How many times..." My face heats up.

"Yeah, okay, sure." Amber says. She winks at Mirlu when she thinks I'm not looking.

"Amber!"

Amber laughs and goes back to the TV.

"Why do you keep watching even when Kailey's not on screen?" I ask.

"Because she could come on screen at any time! She's still in that cave, you know. And those tributes from 6, 9, and 10 are still waiting for her."

"Really?" my voice shakes.

"Yes!" Amber huffs.

I shrug. Mirlu and I go back outside.

"Want to just look at the District from a higher view?" I ask. "Instead of being risky and jumping from one roof to other?"

"That would be great. I'd rather not jump anymore."

So we climb onto the roof. We're still not high enough to look down on everything, but still enough to see it from a different angle.

My parents come home about an hour later. Dad looks up at the roof and shakes his head. He always does that when he comes home and finds me on the roof.

I don't think they saw Mirlu.

Mirlu gets up when it starts to get dark.

"I guess I should be getting home. I don't want my parents to worry."

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. I hope your sister's okay. She's in a tough situation."

I wave as she disappears down the sidewalk.

I stay on the roof and stare into the clouds.

Fifteen minutes later, Amber bursts through the front door and stands in front of the house. She looks up at me, frantic.

"Kembrith!" she gasps. "Get down here. Quick!"

I feel as if something big and heavy has hit my chest. I scramble down the windows and jump to the ground.

"They left the cave... they're fighting. It's really intense."

I run for the door. Amber runs through it when I've barely opened it.

Amber sits next to Mom. Dad sits on her other side. I collapse in the chair next to Amber and watch the screen.

Abby struggles beneath Jeff and Marilyn. Her foot is bleeding slightly, the same one she burned in the mutt attack. She finally manages to send her sword through Marilyn's chest and she falls into the water.

Kailey is desperately trying to hit Skye with her axe, but Skye blocks her every time. Finally she catches her wrists and pins them by her head.

She raises her knife.

"Abby," Kailey whispers. "Help. Abby!" her cries for help get louder.

Abby struggles toward her. This can't turn out good.

I can't lose my sister. Not yet.

Jeff holds her back. Abby sends her knife into his forearm. Jeff screams and runs away. Where to, I don't know.

Skye's knife goes into Kailey's chest. Too close to her heart.

Abby pulls herself over. Skye runs.

"Abby," Kailey whispers. "Take it out. Please."

Abby pulls the knife from her chest, her hands shaking.

"Does it hurt?" she whispers.

"Not much," her voice his slim. I can barely hear it.

Abby's face shows fear. She does well to hide it.

"Abby," Kailey whispers. "Promise me one thing."

"What?" she asks, her voice breaking.

"Win for me."

"I'll try."

"Only three tributes and you're safe." Kailey's eyes glance up at the sky. I can barely hear her words. "Mom, Dad, it's going to be okay. Kembrith, Amber, I'll miss you. I tried, Amber. I tried so hard. Please don't... please don't be sad forever."

She shudders. I watch as her beautiful green eyes close.

The cannon fires.

Amber sobs and buries her face into Mom's arms.

I just stare at the screen.

It is not until the hovercraft comes and takes her and her face appears in the column that it hits me that she's dead.

My sister is dead.

...

**So sorry! It was so hard to write, but it had to happen eventually.**

**This story is not finished. The 83rd Hunger Games aren't over yet. There is still Abby, Skye, Jacob, and Jeff.**

**I will accept endless reviews of complaints. You may even log off your accounts and continuously send complaints as guest reviewers.**

**Again, I'm so sorry.**


	39. Chapter 39- Amber

She's gone.

It is hours later when I finally stand up. It is pitch black outside. The TV is still on, but nothing interesting is happening. Tributes sleeping in different areas of the arena.

I can't believe just a few weeks ago we were all living happily, well, as happy as you can get when you're from the Seam.

It's all my fault.

If I hadn't taken tesserae, I wouldn't have been reaped, and then Kailey wouldn't have volunteered. She would still be alive. We would all be just as happy as we were.

I turn off the TV because I'm the only one in the room and I don't feel like watching.

I walk to the bedroom and open the door.

Kembrith lays across his bed, shaking and sobbing. In two steps I cross the room and give him a tight hug.

He tries to say something, but he's shaking too hard to say it. I wait patiently.

"It's... it's not your fault."

"Don't pretend." I whisper. "Of course it is."

"No. It's not your fault you were reaped. You heard her last words. She doesn't want you to blame yourself."

I don't want to talk about it anymore. So we stay there for a long time without talking.

I'm not sure where Mom and Dad went off to, but they should be around somewhere.

I want to go back. I want to go back the night before the reaping and make Kailey promise not to volunteer.

...

**Please review. Again I'm sorry. Please keep going because this is a bad way to end a story. There will be about five or six more chapters and then an epilogue.**


	40. Chapter 40- Kembrith

_Nine years old._

_The last warm day of autumn. We had enough apples to spare, so I got a whole one to myself for breakfast._

_Eight-year-old Kailey was sitting around. She looked bored._

_"Want to see the world from a higher perspective?" I asked._

_Kailey perked up immediately. "I'd love to!"_

_"Then let's go. I'll ask Dad if it's okay."_

_I went to the bedroom and knocked on the door._

_"Come in."_

_I went into the room._

_"Just going to the roof. I'll probably run around the neighborhood for a bit. Can Kailey come with me?"_

_Dad hesitated. "Don't go far." he finally said._

_As I walked back to the kitchen, eleven-year-old Amber shook her head._

_"You're crazy." she said._

_Kailey excitedly followed me out to the roof._

_I grabbed the window ledge of our house and pulled myself onto it. Kailey carefully watched me, then did the same thing._

_"Alright, now you have to grab the roof and climb onto it the same way you just climbed on the window." I instructed._

_Kailey nodded._

_"You go first." I said. "I'll catch you if you fall."_

_Kailey hesitated before grabbing the roof. She tried to scramble over the top, but ended up dangling._

_"Put your right foot on top of the window!" I yelled._

_"My hands! My hands! I need to move my hands!"_

_"Let go of the roof. I'll catch you." I promised._

_After about 15 seconds, she let go of the roof. I caught her._

_"Thanks," she whispered._

_"Don't worry," I said. "As long as I'm here, you're safe."_


	41. Chapter 41- Amber

She is cold.

All the warmth has gone from her body. All signs of life have disappeared.

The people at the Capitol cleaned the knife wound, but I still know it is there. Only two inches from her heart.

The wound that killed her.

Without realizing, my hand goes to the pocket of her jumpsuit. I find something soft. I know what it is.

It is a piece of the purple velvet dress she wore the day of the reaping. The day I should have gone to the Capitol to be prepared for the Games. Not her.

I go to the kitchen and get a pair of scissors. I cut the piece in half and put one half back in her pocket.

She died so I could live. Now I need to live my life to it's fullest.

I slide the other half into my pocket.

A part of her I'll have forever.


	42. Chapter 42- Kembrith

It's been three days since Kailey died. I haven't gone back to school.

No action in the Hunger Games. Everyone's spread out on different corners of the arena. The remaining tributes are Abby from District 5, Skye from District 6, Jacob from District 7, and Jeff from District 10.

Skye. I hate Skye. She must die. She killed my sister. Every time she appears on screen I feel like breaking the TV.

Abby is on screen. She carries her pack over her shoulder with all her supplies. She is low to the ground. I noticed yesterday that she and Skye are getting near each other. There will be action soon.

Abby crouches in a pebble field. The cameras move a bit and I see Skye. My hand clenches.

"Kembrith, don't break the TV." Mom stands in the way.

"Mom, move! There's two tributes on the same screen!"

Mom sits down.

Skye is searching the tall grass for something. A knife she dropped. Probably the knife she killed Kailey with.

Abby digs in her pack and pulls out her knife. She stays crouched in the pebble field.

Skye finally finds her knife and wanders into the desert. Abby cautiously follows her.

They travel through the tall grasses for hours, while I sit here, anxious for the result. Why won't Abby just attack her already?

Finally the anthem plays. No deaths today.

Skye settles beneath a small tree- probably the first tree I've seen in this arena. Abby crouches in the grass a little ways away.

Skye looks around, then falls asleep beneath the tree.

Abby smiles and stands up. She walks over the tree and takes all of Skye's supplies and weapons. Then she digs in her own pack and pulls out a rope and a noose.

She carefully grabs Skye's hands as not to wake her up. She picks up the rope and ties it around her wrists, then pulls it tight.

Skye wakes up and tries to reach for her knife that Abby took. When she realizes her hands are bound together she screams at the top of her lungs.

Abby loosens the noose and slips it around Skye's neck. Skye chokes as she tightens it. She tries to kick Abby but she already has her legs pinned.

Abby struggles to pick up Skye. When she does she hangs the noose on a branch, then holds the branch steady so it doesn't break.

Skye coughs and sputters.

"You killed her. Now you have to suffer!" Abby snarls.

Skye thrashes around.

"I'm not going to let you down from there, you know," Abby sneers. "You'll have to hang there until you're dead." She stares at her with a stone-hard expression.

Over time, her face softens.

"I can't let you suffer," she whispers. "I'm sorry."

She pulls out her knife and sends it into her heart, then unties the noose and walks away.


	43. Chapter 43- Amber

Final 3.

Any year it would excite me, but not this year.

Nothing can cheer me up. Not even Skye's death. No death will cheer me up now, because it only reminds me of Kailey's chest stilling.

The boy from 7 is on screen. Jacob. He is sitting beneath a low tree, twirling a spear in his hands and looking around warily.

Suddenly a silver parachute falls in front of him. He looks surprised as he leans forward to grab it.

He opens it and finds a gust machine.

I gasp.

I've never actually seen one. Something someone in District 7 must have created.

Jacob stares at it for a minute before breaking a twig off the tree. He sets it in front of him and squeezes the button.

Strong winds blow from it and the twig flies away.

Jacob smiles and stands up.

The cameras move to Jeff, the boy from 10. He's near Jacob. He's up on a hill mostly surrounded by lakes.

He stares down at his good supply of weapons. Suddenly the stick Jacob blew away with the gust machine hits his leg. Jeff stares at it, then gets up and starts walking in Jacob's direction. He splashes across a small stream and walks through the sand. Jacob comes from the other direction.

Jacob finally spots Jeff and fires the gust machine.

Jeff falls backward and slides across the sand. Jacob lets go of the button. Jeff lays winded. He weakly raises an arm and throws a knife, but it misses.

Jacob throws his spear and it hits Jeff square in the chest. The cannon fires.

I sigh and turn away from the screen.

"A lot of action?" Mom asks glumly.

"Final 2 now." Kembrith says.

"Jacob has a gust machine." I explain. "Not good for Abby. But come to think of it, Abby's survived a lot. Maybe she'll be smart enough to avoid the gust."

"Maybe." She sits between us. "When do you two plan on going back to school?"

"I don't even want to think about school anymore," I mumble.

Kembrith considers. "I guess I'll go tomorrow. Since tomorrow's Friday, it'll only be one day."

"I need a little more time." I say. "Maybe Monday."

"Okay. I won't pressure you."

The cameras move to Abby, who is beneath the tree where she hung Skye, sorting through her supplies. A rope, a noose, a sword, two knives, an axe, a bird.

She pulls aside the sword and both knives, puts everything else in the pack and climbs into the tree.


	44. Chapter 44- Kembrith

Her funeral's in two days.

I trudge along the sidewalk.

_Seven years old_

_Kailey's first day of school._

_"Come on!" Kailey squealed, running down the sidewalk after us._

_Amber sighed. "Kailey, wait up. I don't want you to get hurt."_

_"Fine," Kailey dropped back a little. "Where's the school?" she asked._

_"Not for a little while. Just keep walking, we'll get there soon enough." I promised._

_"Is this it?" Kailey ran up to a random building._

_"No, Kailey, that's not the school." Amber called. "I'll tell you when we get there._

_"Is this it?"_

_She continued to run up to random buildings and houses._

_If only I could show her District 12 from bird's eye view._

_I wondered what that would look like. Maybe I should try to see it from a higher perspective._

I don't pay attention at all. No one bothers to call on me anyway. They know not to.

"Kembrith," Mrs. Brunge takes me into the hallway. "If you need anything, let me know. I understand how you feel. I lost my sister in the 68th Hunger Games."

"Oh," That's all I can say?

"I was only ten at the time. She was seventeen."

"I'm sorry," I finally say.

"The pain will wear off. You won't stop missing her, but it won't be so hard as the time passes."

"Thanks for the help."

We all watch the screen intently. Well, except for me.

I listen to people chattering about who will win.

"Abby was their ally," I hear.

"But Jacob has a gust machine. That's a big advantage."

"But Abby-"

I tune it out.

Mirlu follows me out of class.

"I guess you should go home. Be with your family. This must be a hard time."

I nod slowly. "Hard to understand. I have a few minutes. I don't have to go home right away. And it might clear my head if I feel the wind."

Mirlu climbs up easily. She's learned quickly.

Kind of like Kailey.

I climb up after her, slowly, then sit next to her on top of the roof.

A spring breeze stirs. I stare out at the trees below.

That's right. Below.

It takes me a few minutes to realize that she's talking softly.

"When I fully met you, three years ago, you were all I could ever think about."

I feel frozen in time.

"You returned the attention almost every time. It was as if you knew."

An idea comes to mind. I try to push it away, but it keeps coming back. Finally, I give up.

"Maybe I did." I say.

I kiss her.

We may have only spent five minutes on that roof. Maybe ten. Maybe we were up there for a half hour. However long we were up there, my troubles seemed to temporarily blow away in the warm air.

For a little while, I forget how poor I am.

I forget that Kailey is dead.


	45. Chapter 45- Amber

"It's ending," I say when Kembrith comes in the door. He's late. He should have gotten home a half hour ago.

"What's ending?" he asks, slightly distracted.

"Earth to Kembrith! Abby and Jacob have encountered each other. The final fight has started."

I sit down and watch.

_Go Abby! Go Abby! Go Abby!_ I chant in my head. I'm not really against Jacob, it's just that Abby was Kailey's ally.

Abby runs forward with her sword outstretched, ready to run it through Jacob's chest.

Jacob raises the gust machine and starts it. Abby falls back.

Jacob advances on her with a spear, still keeping the gust machine on. This isn't working well for him, because it's only keeping Abby away from him.

Abby swerves the strong gust and runs for Jacob. Jacob screams and throws a knife, then runs.

Swift as a snake, Abby puts her hand in front of her heart. The knife hits her hand. Crying in pain, she pulls out the knife and goes for Jacob again.

Jacob blows the gust machine at her feet this time, knocking her onto her back. He runs forward with the spear raised, ready to deliver the fatal blow.

Abby looks frightened; Jacob only looks determined.

Weakly, Abby lifts her sword so the point faces up.

Jacob leaps over the knife Abby dropped- Kailey's knife.

Abby stretches out her foot and Jacob lands right on it. He starts to fall face-first on top of Abby.

Abby moved the sword and Jacob falls right on top of it.

Abby rolls out from under him as the final cannon fires. She collapses in exhaustion and relief.

Voices surround the arena. "Congratulations to the victor of the 83rd Hunger Games- Abby McMillon from District 5!"

It's what Kailey would have wanted.

...

**The 83rd Hunger Games have ended!**

**Sorry to those of you who wanted Jacob to win. I can't satisfy everyone, and it seemed that most people wanted Abby to win.**

**This story is not finished yet. There are three more chapters and an epilogue.**


	46. Chapter 46-Kembrith

I twist the pencil in my hand. What will I say tomorrow?

_K-_

I sigh, erase it, then flip the pencil back over.

I tap the pencil against the side of my head.

_Think, Kembrith, think._

I bite my lip.

_She was a great sister._ I write.

_Seriously, Kembrith? That's all you can think of?_

Amber comes up and takes the pencil away.

"Hey!" I protest, trying to grab it back.

"No brainstorming!" she yells.

"Why?" I ask. "I'm not just going to go up there tomorrow with nothing to say. Kailey would hate that! Now give me the pencil!"

Amber holds the pencil above her head. "You'll know what to say."

"Well, I have no idea now."

"How do you think it will look when you go up there with a piece of paper in your hands and read off of it?" she demands.

I don't have an answer to that.

"Come on. Don't sweat it. You'll know what to say tomorrow."

My lip quivers. "No, I won't."

"I'm sorry, did I upset you?" Amber's voice softens.

I hide my face behind my hands.

Amber slides into a chair next to me. "It's all going to be okay. I promise."

I shake my head. "No, it won't. It'll never be! Not without Kailey."

"It won't be the same, I agree with that."

"That's all you have to say?"

Amber sighs and walks away.

I look at the paper.

She was a great sister.

Of course she was. She was more than that. She was everything to me. And now she's gone.

I want to write that down, but Amber took the pencil.


	47. Chapter 47- Amber

I look up as Kembrith begins speaking.

"She was more than just a sister. She was a friend and a companion. She always cheered me up when I was upset."

He catches my eye. "Yesterday, when I was trying to decide what to say today, my sister Amber took away my pencil. She said I'd know what to say when I got up here. And she was right."

He pauses for breath.

"Kailey was everything to me. And now she's gone. I feel so empty. Like a space has opened inside me that can never be filled."

He wipes his eyes.

"She was brave to volunteer. Braver than anything I ever did."

Kembrith sits back down.

It's my turn.

I walk up. Before I can even get a word out, my eyes well up with tears.

I bite my tongue. I will not cry.

"Sometimes," my throat blocks up and I have to swallow. "Sometimes you don't realize what you have until it's gone."

I breathe deeply to calm myself.

"My sister gave her life for me. So I could go on living. And I've decided..." I stare at a window and blink away tears. "I should stop blaming myself. If she died so I could live, I should live my life to its fullest."

I sit back down, and remember something Carson said last year when we watched Posy Hawthorne die through the screens.

_"What is death?" he asked._

_I shrugged. "I guess we'll find out ourselves one day."_

_Carson thought for a minute. _

_"Maybe we come back as something else after death. Or maybe... maybe we keep on living in our minds."_

Is Kailey still alive, in her mind? In another world, did she win the Hunger Games?

I hope so. She deserves it.


	48. Chapter 48- Kembrith

On the way to the cemetery, I keep stopping and looking back as if Kailey is trying to catch up with us.

Finally I stop, knowing it's not going to happen. Ever again.

It's Dad who finds the gravestone. He was there when Kailey was lowered into the ground.

I read the words.

**Kailey Jones**

**November 28, 70- April 16, 83**

Mom and Amber stand with their hands on each other's shoulders. Amber is crying loudly and it only makes me feel worse.

Dad pulls me into his arms and I cry into his shirt.

Why did it have to happen that way? Kailey was always kind and loving. She didn't deserve to die.

After a little while we decide to go home.

I crouch beside her gravestone and run my fingers over her name. I never thought this would happen. I thought I would die first since I'm older.

I whisper a few words, hoping Kailey can hear me.

"You will always be in my heart."

...

**That's it. That's the end. Wow, it feels like I just started. Next is the epilogue and then it's over.**


	49. Epilogue- Kembrith

**Thank you everyone for reading this story and continuing to read as I updated. It feels so sad to end it. I hope I ended it well. Let me know what you think.**

...

**Five years later**

Reaping day.

With a sigh, I get out of bed and go to the kitchen.

Only Amber is awake. She's twenty now. Two years ago, she made it through without getting reaped again. A relief to all of us.

Now it's my last year. I have thirty-five slips in the reaping.

This is a hard day for us. Every year. It reminds us of Kailey's brave act, and her death itself.

"Last time, huh?" Amber asks.

"What will you do if I get reaped?" I ask.

"You won't. I promise. So, are you going off to the roof?"

"No." I say.

"Then where are you going?"

Why did she have to ask that?

"I'm just going to find Mirlu before the reaping." I say casually.

Amber rolls her eyes.

I walk outside and find her on the roof.

"How many slips?" she asks.

"Thirty-five," I groan. "Please tell me you have less."

She nods. "Twenty-eight."

"Still enough to get reaped," I mutter.

"One is enough to get reaped." she says.

I stare at the horizon. "Even to this day, I still miss her," I say softly.

...

"Welcome! This year is the 88th Hunger Games! Very exciting!"

How is the Hunger Games exciting again?

"Our girl tribute will be... hm,"

Effie takes awhile finding a slip.

_Just grab one and get it over with!_

"Skylar Ramsey!"

Skylar walks to the stage, shaking slightly. She's sixteen, old enough to win the Games.

I turn to Mirlu. "You're safe." I say happily.

She calmly nods.

My stomach flips slightly as she grabs a slip from the boys' reaping ball. I force myself to relax.

"Easton Clements!"

He's seventeen and strong. He has a chance at winning.

Kailey. Kailey would have been seventeen this year. But she's not. She'll never be. Nor will she be sixteen, or fifteen, or fourteen, or thirteen.

She'll be twelve forever.

I haven't realized yet that I wasn't reaped. It doesn't come to my mind until everyone scatters.

"You'll never have to worry about getting reaped again," Mirlu says cheerily.

I nod.

"See you later, I guess."

She kisses me quickly, then goes to find her family.

Amber runs over and hugs me so tight I can't breathe.

"You're safe," she whispers. "Forever."

Those are the words that Kailey never got to hear. In my mind, I try to picture her. I do, but she's slightly blurry. It's been so long since I saw her. I'd give anything to see her alive just one more time.

That's when I realize I don't feel the pain I used to feel when I thought of her. Mrs. Brunge was right. Time can heal the pain of loss. Not forever, but enough.

I will still miss Kailey. I always will. And of course, I'll never forget her.

She was an important part of my life. Why did she have to go so soon?

I guess that's a question I'll never have the answer to.

Now that I'll never have to face the Hunger Games, I can live without fear. Amber's right. I'm safe.

Forever.


End file.
